Latest news with #IDGTI
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
VW ID 2 GTI Clubsport: 282-HP Electric Hot Hatch in Development
Volkswagen is working on a hardcore Clubsport version of its upcoming ID 2 electric hatchback, with more power and a better way to handle it, according to a report from Autocar. Reportedly undergoing development at VW's R&D center in Braunschweig, Germany, this model would carry the legacy of VW's track-ready Golf Clubsport models into the electric era. First shown in concept form in September 2023, the ID GTI is expected to be shown in production-ready form in 2026, with sales starting in 2027. Like its gasoline Golf GTI predecessor, the ID GTI will be a sportier version of a compact hatchback, in this case the production version of VW's ID 2all concept, which was powered by a single electric motor producing 223 hp. Autocar is forecasting 282 hp for the Clubsport, with the standard ID GTI likely somewhere in between in output. Like other ID 2 models, the Clubsport will have front-wheel drive. But a mechanical limited-slip differential will ensure better grip, while also enabling torque vectoring between the front wheels. An anonymous VW insider with knowledge of the project told Autocar that the Clubsport will employ this "fully mechanical system" rather than the software-controlled, brake-based torque vectoring used in many other cars. Related: 5 Reasons The Latest Golf GTI Is A Future Icon A mechanical limited-slip diff will give the ID 2 GTI Clubsport a more analog feel, as will the variable torque delivery and simulated gearshift functions VW is also reportedly considering for it. Together, these functions will replicate the stepped response of a manual transmission while eliminating the jerkiness under hard acceleration that can sometimes accompany manual shifts, according to the report. This would make for quite the transformation of the basic ID 2 hatch, will use a new derivative of the MEB platform from current VW EVs like the ID.4 and Called MEB Entry, this architecture will help the base ID 2 achieve a base price below 25,000 euros (about $29,000 at current exchange rates). The GTI and Clubsport versions will be pricier-assuming they make it to the U.S. at all (VW hasn't confirmed anything yet)-with the Clubsport likely being a limited edition in line with previous Clubsport models. VW launched the first Golf GTI Clubsport in 2016 to mark the GTI's 40th anniversary, quickly following that up with a Clubsport S version that set a Nürburgring lap record for front-wheel drive production cars. A Clubsport version of the current Mark VIII GTI was unveiled in 2024 with 296 hp, a significant bump from the 241 hp of the current U.S.-spec GTI, but it remains a Europe-only affair. Clubsport may not be the only iconic hot-hatch badge VW is applying to the upcoming ID 2. Another Autocar report from just last week hints at an ID R that, like the internal-combustion Golf R, will have all-wheel drive. But in this case, that will come courtesy of in-wheel motors producing around 400 hp. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Blog
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Volkswagen's 400-HP EV With In-Wheel Motors Could Preview Future Golf R
It Would Rewrite The Hot Hatch Performance Rulebook Volkswagen is said to be working on a hot version of the ID 2 small hatchback, likely to be known as the ID 2 R. While VW doesn't sell a hatchback smaller than the Golf in the United States, the ID 2 R could pave the way for the future all-electric Golf R, and VW seems to have come up with a clever way of integrating electric motors. These plans were revealed by Autocar, with its sources suggesting the ID 2 R will use electric hub motors situated in the rear wheels. As we'll see, this layout has multiple benefits. 0:06 / 0:09 Nissan's revolutionary self-driving tech hits Japan's streets Watch More A Cut Above The Source: Volkswagen VW is already expected to debut the electric in 2026, but the new ID 2 R will be a lot more advanced. In addition to the front-mounted electric motor in the GTI, the R model will get independently controlled motors within the rear wheels, dramatically increasing performance and enabling all-wheel drive, which has traditionally been associated with the Golf R. By not going the more conventional dual-motor route, VW will be able to save weight and reduce the impact on trunk space, both important considerations in a compact car. Whereas the ID 2 GTI will make around 286 horsepower, a more likely output in the three-motor ID 2 R will be about 400 hp. This, together with the torque vectoring made possible by the hub motors, should make for a shockingly quick and agile hot hatch. Even more performance could be extracted from the larger Golf R EV with the same setup. Pros And Cons To Hub Motors Source: Volkswagen While hub motors have many advantages, they can also increase unsprung mass – the weight of the components not supported by the suspension – which can negatively impact handling and grip. On the upside, the ID 2 R's tech has the potential to filter through to other small VWs with all-wheel drive. It would also allow cars with FWD, RWD, and AWD to be more easily built on the same platform, reducing costs and complexity. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. For now, the Golf R will soldier on as a potent ICE hatchback with its 328-hp turbo engine, snappy dual-clutch transmission, and dependable AWD system. But the potential of an electric successor looks bright – don't expect it to arrive much earlier than 2029 or 2030, though, especially with multiple brands backtracking on their EV plans. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Auto Car
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Volkswagen is developing a whole new family of electric GTI models, and the boss says they will be "monsters"!
Volkswagen is preparing to expand the GTI performance brand across multiple model lines in the electric era - and CEO Thomas Schäfer says the hot new models will be "mind-blowing" to drive. The company is preparing to take GTI electric in 2026 with the production version of the ID GTI concept - which will be the hot range-topping variant of the ID 2 supermini. A potent version of the electric ninth-generation Golf will follow by the end of the decade - and these two cars will "start a whole group of GTI" models due to be rolled out in the coming years across Volkswagen's electric line-up. Schäfer revealed that work is well under way on development of the first GTI EVs and he pledged that they will remain true to the characteristics of every GTI model that has gone before. "First of all: can you make an electric Golf exciting? Absolutely," he said. "We have driven a few prototypes that we have built on the new set-up and it is mind-blowing." Schäfer said the overarching priority of the electric GTI engineering programme is to make these next-gen hot hatchbacks feel obviously different from the standard car. "What about the sound? What about the total feel? The handling and so on can be done," he said. But it will be a few years before Volkswagen shows a production-ready electric Golf GTI, with today's petrol-powered car due to remain on sale well into the second half of the 2020s. Schäfer said: "We have time now, as the Golf is running very well into the end of this decade, and at the end of the decade, we'll bring an electric Golf." He added that his experience of the prototypes suggests the next GTI will be "a monster car". "I'm very happy with the progress," he said. "It's cool and you can make it exciting. It has to be exciting and it has to be authentic." Schäfer did not give any indication of when Volkswagen will reveal the final version of the ID 2 GTI, but the standard car is due to be launched in early 2026, which is also the 50th anniversary of the launch of the original Mk1 Golf GTI - opening the possibility of a debut at the firm's annual GTI festival in Wolfsburg next summer. Meanwhile, Volkswagen plans to mark the occasion with a new special 50th anniversary version of today's Golf GTI at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in June.
