Volkswagen debuts sporty ID.4 GTX, not for Aus

THE new Volkswagen ID.4 has not even landed Down Under yet and the brand has already debuted the performance flagship of the range, the GTX, however Aussie fans shouldn’t hold their breath in regard to a local introduction.

Debuted this week in its native Germany, a Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) spokesperson confirmed to GoAuto there were no current plans to secure the GTX for our market even though standard versions of the ID.4 are expected to make it here.

Much like the GTI is to the Golf range, the GTX is first dedicated athlete of the ID.4 range, sporting a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain, more power and pumped-up styling to match.

Motivated by the same 77kh lithium-ion battery pack as the regular ID.4, the GTX’s dual-motor set-up develops a combined 220kW of power – up from 150kW in the standard version – which is enough to see it dart from 0-100km/h in a GTI-beating 6.2 seconds.

The top speed meanwhile – rarely the strong suit of EVs – is limited to 180km.

With double the mechanical drag and a heap more power (+70kW), it should come as no great surprise to find the GTX’s 480km claimed range is shorter than the two-wheel-drive version (520km), however Volkswagen says the extra grip and grunt does wonders for the car over tricky terrain.

To help it stand out from its lesser counterparts, the GTX flaunts a series of cosmetic enhancements designed to make it look both more athletic and “robust”.

New bumpers front and rear, honeycomb foglight bezels, unique alloy wheels and a new rear lighting signature lead the charge here, supported by a bolder array of body colours along with the blacked-out roof and spoiler.

Changes have been made within the cabin too, primarily to the interior colour scheme with the upper sections of the dashboard and door panels being ‘X-Blue’ which is then contrasted against by red seaming throughout.

Other reminders of the sportier nature at hand can be found in the abundance of GTX logos smattered around the cabin.

While the full variant-specific kit list is still to be confirmed, eye-balling the interior suggests the GTX features all of the same toys as the standard ID.4s and more, with highlights including ID.Light, the Discover Pro navigation system, Hello ID. voice command, We Connect Start online services, sports pedals, as well as various IQ.Drive assist systems.

According to Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter, the GTX is the “most emotional member of the ID. family to date” and “shows that electric mobility and top sporty performance are not mutually exclusive”.

“Electric driving is simply great fun – and with the ID.4 GTX we are adding a new dimension of sportiness and dynamics,” he said.

Due to be launched in the German summer (from June), the ID.4 GTX will reportedly cost from €50,415 (A$78,528).

An Australian launch for the ID.4 range is yet to be locked in by VGA however the brand has previously earmarked a 2022 start for its EV rollout but it remains to be seen exactly which model emerges first.

The Australian subsidiary has shifted 9,089 new vehicles so far this year ending March, 6.8 per cent less than it did over the same period last year.