It Looks Like The Golf GTI's Days Are Officially Numbered
Volkswagen is accelerating plans to electrify its range, and future GTIs are now officially on the list.
We know Volkswagens are changing in the wake of the dieselgate emissions scandal, and if this latest nugget of news is anything to go by, in 10 years time they’ll be unrecognisable.
Auto Express is reporting that the firm is planning a hot version of last year’s all-electric I.D. hatchback, first seen at the Paris Motor Show. From comments made by senior VW staff, a faster version of any electric car is always likely.
The magazine quotes Christian Senger, whose snappy job title of ‘vice president Product Line G4, e-mobility’ gives him plenty of insight, as saying: “Today we are really successful in having a range of performance, especially at Volkswagen. We need to recreate this with e-mobility.
“We can start with a rational approach, the car performing quite well every day. But then we can scale up. More range, more acceleration, more charging points for the money and maybe also 4WD.”
The company’s sales and marketing boss, Jurgen Stackmann, has also said that the Golf and Polo GTI will have to change significantly, hinting that they will go electric as well. He said: “I think the formula of GTI will change – it will not be the same formula that took us here. But to have an exhilarating, fun to own, fun to drive car, with electric cars it is possible to deliver that.
“Technology is clearly set to be able to do that – it is actually quite easy to do, with four-wheel drive if you want to.”
Confident words, there. Would you entertain the idea of an all-electric hot hatch?
Comments
So if they’re still planning on different model ranges, whats so bad about this? Im all for electric cars and I love hatchbacks for how quick they are. Making a quicker, electric gti would be great, in my book
My biggest issue is the batteries that only last about 10 years and then fill up landfills. Also I live in a small NJ town and you need to drive everywhere and the range on electric cars just isn’t enough.
I literally cried.
Looks like the VW Golf is going back to its roots, a Golf Cart, you know since its electric and all
NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOH!
Redinvader Rip Golf
(laughs internally)
R.I.P GTI - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Volkswagen needs to kill themselves
This is such a German thing to do lol!
That should be called a GTE, not a GTI.
If I was old enough to driver, I would buy a Clubsport now for a future investment?
Honestly I see this as a good sign. I just bought a car that is a rolling anachronism in most respects — a 2017 Golf GTI with a manual — and I absolutely love it but it’s a throwback and I know it. As cars become more appliance-like in their functionality, especially with autonomous driving, there’s a risk that enthusiasm for driving could wane a lot. Something will need to differentiate brand X from brand Y in this new world of electric sameness and if VW is choosing to leverage engagement and fun as their hook, well, all the better for us GTI fans. I am looking forward to it.