Volkswagen on Wednesday revealed a new range-topping version of its ID.4 battery-electric compact crossover.
The version is the ID.4 GTX which features a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system good for an estimated 302 hp, plus some sporty design elements inside and out.
VW has confirmed that the ID.4 GTX won’t be sold in the United States, though we’ll get its same spicy powertrain in a model to be known as the ID.4 AWD Pro. The ID.4 AWD Pro reaches dealerships later this year with an 82-kilowatt-hour battery and starting price of $44,890.
GTX is VW’s new branding for electric performance vehicles, similar to its GTI, GTE, GTD and GLI badges used on performance vehicles fitted with internal-combustion engines.
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX (Euro spec)
VW didn’t say why the GTX badge isn’t being introduced here. Perhaps it’s because the automaker didn’t want to remind local buyers of its Jetta GTX from the early 1990s. VW may also be conscious of drawing associations with the Plymouth GTX muscle car.
Claimed performance estimates for the ID.4 GTX include a 0-62 mph time of 6.2 seconds and a top speed governed at 112 mph. Expect similar numbers for the ID.4 AWD Pro.
The ID.4 started sales in the U.S. earlier in spring. It’s priced from $41,190 and comes as standard with the same 82-kwh battery as the ID.4 GTX, but only a single motor at the rear generating 201 hp. The EPA-rated range for this configuration is 250 miles.
Buyers not in a hurry can look forward to a lower starting price in 2022 when production of the ID.4 starts at VW’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. VW said the starting price will be dropped to around $35,000 once local production starts. Currently the ID.4 is sourced from a plant in Germany.