Volkswagen values the GTI name highly, thus it looks like that the acronym’s meaning will need to change as a result of the new emblem seen above. As is already public knowledge, Volkswagen plans to convert its entire line-up to fully electric models soon. Currently, GTI refers to “Grand Touring Injection,” with the final component clearly referencing fuel injection. As such, that name may have to change, or does it?
However, Volkswagen will update the GTI emblem, adding a lightning bolt in place of the last letter. No, it does not mean “The Flash”, it simply means that the GTI moniker will live on in this new electric era. Does this mean that the GTX designation that high-performance VW EVs now carry may be dropped?
We believe there is a chance that the new branding will suggest that the car is just partially electric. The GTI name is too valuable to maintain on special models, and until VW’s complete line is electric, we don’t see any value in keeping the GTX name around.
Or, it’s possible that Volkswagen may continue to apply the GTX moniker to fully electric vehicles, reserving GTI for models that are merely hybridised.
Thomas Schaefer, CEO of VW Passenger Cars, predicts that the eighth generation of the Golf will continue to be produced “until the end of the decade,” after which Volkswagen “will have to see how the segment develops.”
It is said that in 2024, VW will perform a mid-cycle upgrade on the eighth-generation Golf, and the GTI may lose its six-speed manual gearbox owing to tougher emissions rules. With that being said, in 2025, the Golf GTI will commemorate its 50th year, and the current-generation GTI will continue to be produced, possibly giving rise to a limited-edition variant.
The ID. 2all electric idea is anticipated to serve as the foundation for the next Golf. This should be a return to GTI form in many aspects because of the small size and need for a low asking price, even though the engine is varied.
