Volkswagen ID. GTI Concept Previews The New Electric Golf GTI

Earlier in March, Volkswagen unveiled its $27,000 ID.2all electric concept car expected to launch in 2025. With a higher price tag than the ID.1, this EV houses a smaller version of the MEB electric platform modular, giving it a power output of 166 kilowatts, 223 horsepower, and a range of 280 miles, allowing it to travel significantly further than the ID.4. It's also not slow, as its electric engine lets it hit 0-62 mph in seven seconds. But for some, a sport model of the ID.2all was what they were really looking for.

We finally got our first look at this new Golf GTI based on the ID.2all design, and it's replacing the "I" in Grand Touring Injection with Intelligence. Coming in at 161.6 inches in length, a width of 72.4 inches, a height of 59 inches, and a wheelbase of 102.4 inches, this EV doesn't stray too far from the original GTI launched 48 years ago. However, this vehicle offers state-of-the-art tech and a myriad of various features that separate it from its contemporary.

Upon first glance, this car is unmistakable as a GTI. The front features the signature red radiator grill surround, albeit less noticeable than the one on gasoline cars. Close by is a pronounced red GTI logo in between the car's Q.LIGHT LED matrix headlight. The rear of the car is where things differ significantly from a gasoline GTI. At the center of the bumper is a prominent black front splitter with an iconic honeycomb pattern air inlet positioned above it. Additionally, there are motorsport-style towing eyes accented in red on the grille's outer edges. Under the Volkswagon logo, you'll find a diagonal black stripe pattern across the rear. This same design is located on the base of the car's side panels as well.

The wheel design on this EV is also distinctive, with eight double spokes and a circle of eight openings. The inner workings of the rim are black, while the exterior of the rim is silver. At the rim's center is a honeycomb pattern behind a black and red GTI logo.

This new electric GTI is also effectively a time machine. Drivers can adjust the drive system, steering, running gear, and sound. But that's not all, as Volkwagon offers some simulated shift points to take you back in time, emulating "the original 1976 Golf GTI, the first 16-valve Golf GTI Mark 2 from 1986 or the 2001 Golf GTI Mark 4 '25 years of GTI'."

On the dash, you'll find a 12.9-inch infotainment touch display. There are also many 45W USB-C interfaces throughout the interior and a 230-volt socket. Additionally, an illuminated 12 o'clock marker on the steering wheel allows the driver to orient themselves with a glance.

What many probably didn't see coming is that this EV has an augmented reality heads-up display built into the windshield. This tech projects real-time data onto the windshield for both the driver and the passenger. Some projections, such as the car's current speed, are things drivers may use in their everyday lives. But when on the track in GTI mode, that's where this feature really shines. In what looks to be ripped straight out of a videogame, a track map and the driver's standings in the race are displayed on the screen. Although we will have to wait until we get our hands on this feature ourselves to see how well it works in the real world, we may very well be getting a sneak peek into the future of racing with this EV GTI.