Volkswagen announces that the new GTI will be fully electric.

In 1976, almost half a century ago, Volkswagen introduced the first Golf GTI, a name that soon became an automotive legend. Its 1.6-litre, inline four-cylinder petrol engine delivered 1,000 hp.

Since then, Volkswagen has always had a GTI version in each of the eight generations of the Golf, in addition to GTI versions also implemented in other smaller models such as the Pole, the Up! or the Wolf, but there have also been GTI versions of sedans like the Passat. The GTI acronym has become so popular that Volkswagen also launched models with the GTD acronym, which identified the most powerful and sporty diesel versions, GTX versions for the zero-emission all-electric models, and GTE versions, which identified the plug-in hybrids.

Now, Volkswagen wants to go further and use the acronym GTI to identify sporty and high-performance models powered by electric motors and not by gasoline engines, as confirmed by the brand's executive director, Thomas Schäfer, in a interview with AutoExpress magazine, in which he described the upcoming electric Golf GTI as a "monster."

The Volkswagen CEO stated that an electric GTI "must live up to its name" and its legacy, so it "must be exciting and authentic," before concluding that he was "very happy" with the progress of Volkswagen's first electric GTI. It is worth remembering that the ICurrent D.3 GTX It is a 326 hp vehicle that has not completely enthused its target audience, since despite being an absolutely effective car, it does not have that special point that characterizes the brand's models. Throughout the interview, Schäfer claims to be aware of this reality and reveals that the new electric GTI "drives everyone crazy" with the sensations it provides its drivers.

A family of electric GTIs

The decision to reverse course and eliminate the GTX acronym currently used on Volkswagen's electric models and replace it with the historic GTI acronym was made by Thomas Schäfer, who thus recognizes the legacy and importance of GTI models within the German brand. The future Golf GTI will be an electric, front-wheel-drive model with a sporty and youthful edge, and will be accompanied by a whole range of GTI models in other Volkswagen cars.

Beyond the upcoming ninth-generation Golf GTI, Volkswagen is working to develop a new ID.2 GTI and even a spicy version accessible through the future ID.1 GTI, which would pick up the heritage of the now-defunct Lupo GTI and Up! GTI.