Volkswagen is reportedly close to giving the green light to an R badged version of the all-electric ID.3. Such a model would be the German marque’s first performance-focused electric hot hatchback.
Although the launch of the regular ID.3 has been hampered by problems, VW’s R performance division is said to be keen on launching a hotter version that makes the most of what the company learned with the record-breaking ID R prototype.
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While recently speaking with Autocar, Volkswagen development chief Frank Welsch confirmed that an ID.3 R is “something we’re looking at,” adding that he likes the idea “but we have to decide if the market is ready to accept such a model.”
Interestingly, Volkswagen is expected to use the new ‘GTX’ badge for future performance-focused variants of its electric vehicles. However, this badge will be restricted to cars using a powerful twin-motor design with all-wheel drive. A performance version of the ID.3 is instead more likely to continue using a single rear electric motor.
“The ID.3 can accept four-wheel drive, although it’s unlikely to receive it during the first generation,” Welsch said. “There will not be a GTX variant, but we’re yet to decide on a rear-wheel-drive R variant.”
It is claimed that the ID.3 R could produce roughly 300 HP – a very respectable number when you consider that the most powerful variant of the standard ID.3 is rated at 201 HP. A figure of 300 HP would also make the ID.3 R almost as powerful as the Mk 7.5 VW Golf R, albeit with rear-wheel drive and instantaneous torque provided by the electric motor.
