VW GTI badge set to live on in new ID.2

EXCLUSIVE Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer reveals company's plan to use GTI badge on "zippy" small EVs

- John Mcllroy

• VW plans to continue GTI name in electric era
• ID.2 GTI set to have 223bhp and be two-wheel drive

VOLKSWAGEN'S iconic GTI badge has been under threat, with the likely demise of combustion-engined Golfs and Polos, and the use of GTX for high-performance electric cars. But Auto Express can now reveal the company has mapped out a way for the GTI name to continue into the next decade, as a sub-brand for faster versions of smaller, cheaper EVs.

Up to now, the most compact of VW's bespoke electric cars has been the ID.3 hatchback - but the company is committed to a cheaper model, slightly smaller than the current Polo supermini and priced at around £22,000. Previewed by the ID. 2all concept shown earlier this year, and likely to be called ID.2 in production form, this car appears likely to be the first EV to get a GTI variant, soon after its launch in 2026.

Speaking to Auto Express, VW boss Thomas Schäfer revealed that he and his team have a clear idea of how to differentiate GTI from other fast EVS - and that they are committed to continuing the badge's legacy, even in an all-electric age.