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Scottish Sun
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Major car brand ‘to launch EV version' of popular model next year – and it will be faster than its flagship vehicle
Set to go electric — and it could leave the current top model behind HOT HATCH Major car brand 'to launch EV version' of popular model next year – and it will be faster than its flagship vehicle A MAJOR car brand is set to launch an electric version of one of its most popular models next year – and it's tipped to be even faster than the current flagship. Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to unveil an electric GTI hot hatch, based on its ID.3 model, with a launch expected in 2026, according to 5 The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge Credit: Getty 5 The ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model Credit: Supplied 5 This electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive Credit: Photo by Paddy McGrath This comes after the German manufacturer first stepped into the electric hot hatch space last year with the ID.3 GTX. The new ID.3 GTI will carry the legendary GTI badge, though it won't have the fuel injectors that gave the original its name. And unlike traditional GTIs, which have front-wheel drive, this electric version will reportedly be rear-wheel drive. According to Auto Motor and Sport, the ID.3 GTI will deliver around 335hp, that's 13hp more than the current GTX model. VW is also said to be working on major upgrades to the chassis, steering, and suspension to give drivers a more exciting and responsive experience behind the wheel. Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan. But with delays to the next-generation electric Golf, now expected near the end of the decade, the carmaker is opting for a second facelift of the ID.3 to extend its life on the market. This update is set to bring the ID.3's design and technology closer to the upcoming ID.2 range. The ID.3 first launched in 2019 and saw a refresh in 2023. Inside the Volkswagen ID With the latest facelift, expected in 2026, the ID.3 GTI will take centre stage as VW's new electric performance star. VW has already shown off the ID. GTI concept, which previews the company's first electric car to wear the iconic badge. However, the larger ID.3 GTI now looks likely to beat it to showrooms. Pricing details are still under wraps, but in Germany, the current ID.3 GTX starts at just over €47,000, while the upcoming ID.2 will launch from around €25,000. Naturally, the GTI versions will carry a premium. Several other VW electric models have already received the GTX badge, including the ID.7 saloon, ID.7 Tourer estate, and even the GTX minivan. It's still unclear whether Volkswagen plans to eventually replace GTX with the more recognisable GTI name across its electric range. There's also speculation that an electric R-badged model could follow. And with rumours that VW may redesign the GTI logo to feature a lightning bolt in place of the 'I,' the brand's electric future is certainly shaping up to be electrifying. 5 Interestingly, the electric GTI wasn't part of Volkswagen's original plan Credit: Volkswagen AG
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-AMG's Monstrously Powerful A 45 Hot Hatch Is Being Discontinued
Mercedes is saying 'auf Wiedershen' to the hottest of hot hatches. The German luxury marque has revealed that its discontinuing the A-Class, three years after it stopped selling the vehicle in the U.S., according to Why is this such a big deal? Because that means the automaker has pulled the plug on its one and only hatchback. More from Robb Report A $65 Million Coastal Ranch Near Santa Barbara Comes With an Abalone Farm A Lavish $23.5 Million French Renaissance Mansion in Dallas Is Fit for Royalty Exclusive Luxury Comes to the Southern Tip of Eleuthera Since its introduction in 1997, the A-Class has been Mercedes's entry-level model. In the car's fourth generation, a sedan model was added to the lineup, but it has mainly been sold as a three- or five-door hatchback. As a true compact, it's often been on the dinkier end of the automotive spectrum, but there have also been several AMG versions over the years. The most recent, the wing-sporting A 45, came with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that made 421 hp, making it the most powerful gas-powered hatchback you could buy. But the A-Class's days as the automaker's entry-level model are now over. Last week, that role was taken over by the new CLA sedan, and this week, Mercedes has confirmed the older model won't make it past this generation. The news comes via chief technology officer, Markus Schäfer, who told Italian magazine Quattroruote that the company will built fewer compacts, which are mainly popular in its home region, to focus on more expensive SUVs, which sell better worldwide. 'We need models that will work around the world, including China and the U.S.,' the executive said. 'I know the hatchback is a favorite in Europe, but it was not part of the plan and we had to make choices, including difficult ones.' Mercedes may be getting out of the hot hatch game, but there are still a couple of attractive options out there for compact enthusiasts—especially if they're willing to go electric. The 641-hp Ioniq 5 N has won plenty of plaudits since debuting in the summer. Renault is also bringing back the legendary 5 Turbo as an all-electric 'mini-supercar' that it claims will make 540 hp. And, for those who crave a more traditional powertrain, there's also the Honda Civic Type R and Toyota GR Corolla. The cars may top out at around 300 hp, but they are both available with a six-speed manual, something which can't be said of their more powerful battery-powered peers. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
