Hot VW ID.4 R variant unlikely until second-gen ID.4 launch: Report
The VW ID.4 GTX isn’t the performance benchmark in its segment; that title goes to the top-end Nissan Ariya. A VW ID.4 R that’s quicker and faster could arrive, but only in the second generation of the SUV later this decade.
The Nissan Ariya can attain a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) in its top-end configuration. Floor the pedal for just 5.1 seconds, and you’re already halfway there. The ID.4 GTX is slower, taking 6.3 seconds for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint. Plus, it maxes out at 180 km/h (112 mph).
Speaking to Auto Express, Volkswagen R Head Reinhold Ivenz has said that there’s no plan to launch an MEB-based R model at the moment, the British publication reported on October 28, 2022. Such a model would need a different battery, which would make it very expensive.
Limitations in the MEB Platform
The MEB platform doesn’t allow high levels of horsepower, Ivenz said. A heavy electric R model would need around 500 horsepower if its 0-62 mph acceleration is to be four seconds, the Volkswagen R chief added. He also talked about the potential electric R models. The ID.4 has a higher chance of getting an R variant than the ID.3 because of the popular body style, and as its global availability would present a higher volume. “The R models are better suited to ID.4, ID.5, or ID.6,” Ivenz said. The ID.6 is a China-only model.
In addition to enhanced performance, the VW ID.4 R may offer quicker charging on direct current. The ID.4’s peak charging power is 170 kW (ironically the ID.4 GTX is still at 135 kW), although the MEB platform has the technical capability to allow a charging power of over 200 kW.
If wishes were horses in 2022..
TopElectricSUV’s rendering of the ID.4 high-performance version of today’s car is a work of fiction!
TopElectricSUV has imagined an ID.4 R based on the current electric SUV, with styling differences for a racier look and the changes that traditionally differentiate GTI variants. Our ID.4 R adopts a red crossbar along the light strip, fog lamps in the bumper as observed in spy shots, side body graphics, D-pillar decoration, and sporty wheels. Derived from the next-gen SUV, the ID.4 R that makes it to showrooms would look completely different.
TopElectricSUV says
Whenever it is ready, the expectation is that the VW ID.4 R would offer sports car-level performance with SUV practicality and the lower running costs of an electric vehicle. It might appeal to customers looking for a new five-seat family SUV that offers a thrill-a-minute performance, and to unleash their wild side.
Featured image: Rendition of a high-performance ID.4 version
Shrawan Raja Founder & CEO
An automobile engineer by qualification, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005 and reviewed electric vehicles since 2008. In my 15 years in the online automotive publishing, I’ve edited around 35,000 articles.
