Rumors of the Volkswagen GTI’s death may be overblown. Though the car is losing its manual transmission option next year, it will make the transition to Electrification, and we’re now learning that VW may expand the GTI name to other Electric models. 

The automaker recently revealed the ID.GTI electric Concept and head of design Andreas Mindt told CarExpert that we’ll see other electric models wearing a GTI badge.

“It won’t be in SUVs, but I would, yes, we will see more GTI cars. It really fits to the concept of this car, and the car’s very efficient because all the components are in the front, and it frees up space in the rear, and you have a double layer trunk, which is huge.” Mindt noted that VW’s approach makes construction much cheaper, allowing it to keep its goal of a 25,000 USD starting price. 

While it’s not surprising that VW is eying the GTI name for electrification, it will be interesting to see how it tackles the massive weight that comes with batteries and other electric components. The Golf GTI has always been known for its handling, not raw power, so VW will need to focus on managing the extra weight to maintain the car’s personality. At the same time, electrification will give VW additional flexibility to build all-wheel drive GTI variants and play with other body formats beyond the iconic hatchback shape.

[Image: Volkswagen]

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