A range-topping high-power version of the Volkswagen ID.3 is now available to order in the UK, which is the German brand’s quickest-accelerating electric car to date.
Called the ID.3 GTX Performance – which is more powerful than the ID.3 GTX hot hatch which is set to go on sale in the UK later this year – this sporty hatchback is described by Volkswagen as the “electric counterpart to the Golf GTI Clubsport“, and is mechanically identical to the Cupra Born VZ which went on sale in July.
Alongside a sports suspension upgrade and a new dynamic chassis control system that improve steering precision, the GTX Performance also comes with a slightly larger 79kWh battery (as opposed to the regular 77kWh unit in the ID.3 range) and a more powerful rear-mounted electric motor that boosts the power output up to 326hp.
The car can reportedly complete a 0-62mph sprint in 5.7 seconds, which is a tenth of a second slower than the Born VZ and almost two seconds slower than the ridiculously quicker MG 4 XPower.
The larger battery pack does provide a range of up to 369 miles on a single charge however, which is a great deal more than the XPower’s 200-mile maximum. The hot hatch is compatible with DC charging speeds of up to 185kW, which can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in 26 minutes.
The car sits on large 20-inch alloy wheels and comes with a few extra exterior tweaks compared to the standard range, including a sportier front bumper and rear diffuser design, some gloss black accents and ‘arrowhead’ LED daytime running lights.
Pricing for the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Performance now begins at just over £46k. This is almost £2k more expensive than the similar Cupra Born VZ.
