The performance version of VW’s NZ-assigned small mains-fed hatch has been revealed.

WITH the big brother high-performance ID.4 GTX already confirmed for sale in New Zealand from late this year, will Volkswagen New Zealand also now weigh up potential for the same flavour of the new ID.3?

The Auckland distributor also has the standard ID.3 booked in for local availability, but has yet to express any thought about the GTX edition unveiled internationally yesterday.

It’s an interesting year for ID cars here in general, with the dissolution of Clean Car support catching out the distributor, to point it has slashed $20,000 from the base ID.4 to shift excess stock, and dropped the ID.5.

Perhaps there will be reluctance to add even more types, beyond those already sighed up, until there is clarity about consumer tastes and volume potentials.

Still, a compact electric performance car does have a certain allure - basically, the ID.3 GTX will challenge the Cupra Born, which is already creating a niche.

There’s also a historic play. The latest car has been lauded already as the electric equivalent of the brand’s most famous everyman street racer, the Golf GTI, which the ID.3 apes in size.

This being the Golf’s 50th year also might make the ID.3 GTX more relevant.

The new car has bespoke equipment to help it stand out from the rest of the range, and there's a specific visual look, with a bumper featuring a gloss-black air intake with a diamond-style design, flanked by LED daytime running lights featuring an arrowhead design that’s a signature for all GTX models.

There's more gloss-black detailing along the sides, including GTX badging on the doors below the mirrors, while at the back is a gloss black diffuser and a GTX badge on the tailgate beneath the VW logo.

It runs 20-inch alloy wheels in a five-spoke design, and the diamond-cut finish can be replaced by a gloss-black finish. At launch, there are white, silver, grey and black paint options, while Kings Red is offered as a throwback to the Tornado Red finish that was available on the original Golf GTI.

As with in the internal combustion GTI and R models, the ID.3 GTX gets interior details that are specific to the badge. Sports seats finished in fabric and leatherette upholstery are standard, with a microfibre option, while GTX branding and red stitching also feature.

The infotainment system receives an update with the introduction of ChatGPT artificial intelligence controlled via VW's IDA voice assistant.

This is designed to use natural speech to operate in-car functions, such as adjusting the climate, lighting or drive modes, while it can also answer questions with access to cloud-based information.

Sporty looks need performance impetus. On that side of things, the ID.3 GTX uses VW's latest 'APP550' electric motor to drive the rear wheels, and it comes in two outputs, with 213kW for the standard model, and 243kW for the GTX Performance version. As point of reference ID.4 GTX makes 223kW, from a dual motor setup.

Both ID.3 GTX types produce up to 545Nm of torque. Estimated 0-100kmh acceleration figures for the GTX and GTX Performance respectively are 6.0 and 5.6 seconds. Which evens even the less sparked up of the two is still 0.2 seconds faster than the ID.4 GTX.

The GTX has a new 79kWh battery, which offers an estimated 600km of range. Charging speed is up to 175kW. It has a thermal management system can condition the battery in advance of a DC session, to shorter charging times.

Changes to the suspension over the standard ID.3 include firmer dampers, while a progressive-rate steering system is included. The GTX Performance adds a modified version of VW's DCC adaptive chassis control system delivering a range of settings, with Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual driving modes offered.