Currently reading: New Volkswagen GTI badge points to electric future

Hallowed GTI and R nameplates to remain amid electrification but brand “might not need” GTX badge any longer

Volkswagen has filed to trademark a new GTI badge for the electric era, replacing the ‘I’ in the logo with a lightning bolt.

The use of the designation had long been in doubt as Volkswagen opted to use ‘GTX’ for the high-performance versions of the ID 4 and ID 5 crossovers, as well as an upcoming variant of the ID 7 saloon.

However, as brand CEO Thomas Schäfer told Autocar in November 2022, “we might not need” GTX as the marque’s mainstream models make the switch to electric power.

“GTX as an idea is en route for EVs,” he said, adding it would be “crazy” to let the existing GTI and R designations to “die and slip away” amid the transition.

“With a strong brand, you need to spend less getting it out there,” he said.

Volkswagen Golf GTI 2021 front quarter driving

It is possible that the brand may show a concept car with the new badge in the near future as a statement of intent for the performance brand’s reboot.

Such a car would be likely to retain the familiar front-engine, front-wheel-drive powertrain with a single electric motor.

On GTI, Schäfer said: “GTI with Golf was always legendary. We will carry on. We need substance to it, with performance. We’re working on a performance model with EV to carry GTI forward.”

Schäfer added that R would be used on ‘all-paw’ performance flagships, suggesting four-wheel-drive models will use that designation instead.

Additional reporting by Charlie Martin

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Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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Miha Leban 2 August 2023

GTI stands for Grand Touring Injection. So how will it be a GTI if its electric.

VW should take the Golf GTI off sales like Ford did with the Fiesta instead of detroying it by making it electric.

 

Andrew1 2 August 2023
So what? SUV stands for Sport Utility Vehicle and I haven't seen one that is either sporty or utility.
Peter Cavellini 2 August 2023

Needs to be better?, maybe time to change the body, make it more on a par with its contemporaries?, EV?, so be it if they have to.

catnip 19 November 2022

Another article which doesn't really say anything. Sounds like VW doesn't really know what to do.