After Polo GTI has become an old calendar, when it comes to "GTI", domestic riders will subconsciously think of Golf GTI. It is precisely because of this kind of thinking inertia that when Volkswagen recently launched a new pure electric GTI model, car enthusiasts shouted that the Golf GTI in the new era is about to land. But in the context of electrification technology, this so-called new GTI model is actually a front-wheel drive carIn other words, Volkswagen ID3. Isn't the rear-wheel drive structure already adopted?Is this because GTI has to stick to the front wheel, or is it another emotional hand played by Volkswagen?
Let's move to pure electric logic, and the Volkswagen Group's electrification platform "Goalkeeper" is the MEB platform. That is, the previously mentioned, including ID3, now all idThe series of models were born from this platform. But Volkswagen's so-called pure electric GTI is really a front-wheel drive model. Even if the MQB can continue to make a magic change in electrification, the launch date of the all-electric GTI is tentatively set for 2026. 2 years later, Volkswagen is said to still be making a fuss about MQB. The MEB platform has laid the foundation, is it possible that GTI, a spiritual totem, can be reversed in technology
The reason for this doubt is that the problem lies in the inertia of thinking "GTI = Golf GTI". If you separate the two, the situation is clearer. Also a few days ago, Volkswagen directly announced the mid-term facelift plan for the eighth-generation Golf. The new car will be officially unveiled in 2024. After the Beetle was discontinued, Volkswagen did not abandon the Golf plan. As for the Volkswagen SSP platform, although it was later emphasized that it will be launched on time in 2026. However, due to software problems in the early days, there was also news that it was postponed to after 2028. Therefore, the timing of the Golf's facelift is just right to ensure the smooth transition of the ninth-generation Golf to the SSP platform.
The SSP platform is a new platform built by Volkswagen by integrating its three existing combustion vehicle platforms (MQB, MLB, MSB) and two pure electric platforms (MQB and PPE). In addition to the integration of battery system, body structure, intelligent cockpit and intelligent driving, it is expected to be compatible with the four-motor layout. In this way, it can also be widely adapted in the pursuit of performance, long battery life, etc. However, the SSP platform can still be adapted to the front-wheel drive in theory, so from a technical point of view only, it is not possible to take off the hat of "pure electric front-wheel drive Golf GTI" for the time being. The question seems to come back around?
In fact, instead of discussing this theoretical possibility, it is better to talk about events with high probability. Because the so-called new pure electric GTI model of the ** this time can't wait for the SSP platform at all, and there is no need to wait. Because subtraction can be done on the existing MEB platform, its needs can be met. Although the MEB is based on the rear-wheel drive platform, it is also suitable for front and rear dual-motor four-wheel drive. So if you remove the rear-drive motor, isn't it a front-wheel drive car?Therefore, whether in terms of product iteration cycle or technical necessity, this new pure electric GTI model will not be the identity of the Golf GTI. In terms of matching, it is more like the ID. that Volkswagen is laying the groundwork at this stageGTI version of the 2 Series. It's just a matter of whether it will eventually be named ID2 GTI, or IDGTI, or another type of name, is not clear for the time being.
But id2Isn't it Volkswagen's cheap pure electric series, give it the GTI nameplate, or based on ID2 product power to build GTI, Volkswagen is coming really?Maybe the lite version of the MEB platform may not be impossible to play. First of all, the normal version id2. The position of cost reduction is mainly in the change to front-wheel drive, and the body size is expected to be smaller. But from id3 performance, we can also see that the pure electric platform makes the body length less than 43 meters of ID3. Its interior space is comparable to that of Volkswagen B-class cars in the fuel era. Even if the Volkswagen IDThe size of the 2 has been further reduced, and its interior space is likely to be no smaller than that of the petrol version of the Volkswagen Golf, and it will even be more abundant.
Of course, to live up to the GTI moniation, performance is the key. In this regard, the Volkswagen ID. was released not long agoThe 2all concept car, of course, is the most worthy of our reference. According to the power information disclosed by the concept car, its front axle single motor can bring a maximum power of 226 horsepower, and the official 000 acceleration time will be less than 7 seconds. But there are also two doubts behind this information. First of all, 226 horsepower is the regular version of the ID2. Or the GTI model (version). Secondly, 226 horsepower, how can the vehicle's 000 acceleration enter the 6-second range.
Both of these issues can be argued with the current petrol version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, which matches the classic EA888 2In the case of a 0t engine, its maximum power is 220 horsepower. Just from the numerical value, the aforementioned idThe 2all concept car is almost on a horizontal line with it. So will the all-new all-electric GTI model continue to increase horsepower?In fact, I personally prefer that the horsepower value of the concept car is the value of the GTI version. Or, to put it bluntly, the difference between the two is not too big. On the one hand, as a model to be launched in 2026, it is not believed that it will also use the operation of a single asynchronous motor on the front axle to reduce the performance of the reactor. On the basis of permanent magnet synchronous motors, even though the layout space of the front axle is looser than that of the rear axle, the ID2. Or the level of Volkswagen's front-wheel drive pure electric vehicles is positioned here. Even without taking into account the size constraints, referring to the existing mature operation, a single motor on the front axle with a power of more than 200 hp is quite rare in itself.
As for why the horsepower is about the same, and carrying a battery pack, the body is expected to be heavier IDThe 2ALL Concept achieves a 000 acceleration time slightly faster than the petrol version of the Golf GTI. The problem may lie in the gearbox, which is actually the core difference between gasoline vehicles and electric vehicles. Although the dual-clutch transmission used in the gasoline version of the Golf GTI already belongs to the gearbox structure with excellent shifting rhythm and power loss. But after all, electric vehicles do not have a gearbox, and the torque is fully blooded from the beginning. These differences may determine that in the case of similar horsepower, even if the thrust-to-weight ratio is relatively lost, but only compared to the 000 acceleration ability, the pure electric GTI can still win.
In fact, in terms of handling, the new all-electric GTI may also exceed the current petrol version of the Golf GTI. First of all, the platform is decided, the rear suspension of the MBQ is a four-link structure even if it is an independent suspension structure, while the MEB is a five-link structure that is directly full. As a lite version of the MEB platform, its technical profile seems to foreshadow ID2. It is very likely that a torsion beam rear suspension structure will be adopted. However, the compatibility of the platform is here, and it remains to be seen whether it will involve suspension adjustments for GTI models. As for the details, at this stage, the MEB platform suspension uses a large number of aluminum alloy materials, or there will be a greater probability of reducing costs. Last but not least, the domestic version of the petrol Golf GTI is not equipped with a Volkswagen VAQ limited-slip differential. For electric vehicles, in order to play the effect of a differential, there is no need to support complex mechanical structures.
Of course, many of the above are based on the technical ceiling, specifically relying on ID2What is the performance of the pure electric version of GTI, we have to wait until the future to slowly reveal the answer. However, from the perspective of the platform itself to control costs, taking into account the domestic ID3. Market performance. Even if it's IDThe GTI version of the 2, its final**, is also worth our expectations. Especially when the long-rumored Tesla Model 2 (unofficially named) has not made a specific move, this cheap version of the Volkswagen pure electric GTI model may bring more surprises.