Volkswagen has presented the ID.3 GTI, the first GTI model with rear-wheel drive and the most powerful series-production car to carry that badge so far. The electric hatchback develops 240 kW, equivalent to 326 hp, and 545 Nm, and the commercial launch in Europe is scheduled for spring 2027.
The new model takes the place of the ID.3 GTX at the top of the compact electric range. The name change is more than a marketing exercise: Volkswagen is moving the GTI brand into the electric family, after the debut of the smaller ID. Polo GTI.
Volkswagen press images, published by Motor1.
0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds
The electric motor sits on the rear axle and sends power exclusively to the rear wheels. The ID.3 GTI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 200 km/h.
Power and torque figures are the same as those of the former range-topping ID.3 GTX. The main difference lies in the model’s identity and calibration: the new GTI mode uses the sportiest settings and activates launch control. Volkswagen has also added an artificial sound that imitates the character of a petrol Golf GTI.
79 kWh battery and 601 km of range
The lithium-ion battery has a net capacity of 79 kWh. Volkswagen estimates WLTP range of up to 601 km, 10 km more than the ID.3 GTX. DC fast charging peaks at 183 kW, and the 10% to 80% step should take 29 minutes.
These are figures communicated before the car reaches the market. The homologated range of versions sold in Romania and the final consumption can vary with equipment and tyre size.
GTI elements and physical controls in the cabin
The ID.3 GTI takes the revised body of the ID.3 Neo, but receives a more aggressive front end, red accents, gloss-black elements and vertical daytime running lights. Standard wheels are 20 inches with 225 mm-wide tyres; 235 mm tyres can be ordered as an option. GTX badges have been replaced by GTI emblems, and the roof and tailgate are painted in body colour.
The cabin drops some of the touch controls criticised on the old ID.3. The steering wheel has physical buttons, the centre console includes a volume knob and a strip of conventional controls, and the touch slider under the screen is gone. The digital instrument cluster measures 10.25 inches, and the centre screen has a 12.9-inch diagonal.
The GTI version adds front seats with more pronounced lateral support and red accents. The layout still keeps the practical architecture of a five-door compact hatchback.
Launch in Romania and price
Volkswagen had previously confirmed that the ID.3 GTI would follow the ID. Polo GTI and reach the market in the first quarter of 2027. The information now published points to a European launch in spring of the same year.
The price for Romania has not been announced. Until local orders open, the standard equipment, any GTI-specific warranty and the price gap versus other ID.3 Neo variants are also unknown.
