The Volkswagen ID 3 GTX Performance will go on sale on 29 August as the electric alternative to the Golf GTI Clubsport, offering 322bhp for £46,225.
That power means the range-topping hot hatch can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.7sec, making it Volkswagen's quickest-accelerating EV to date.
It's priced just above the technically identical £44,570 Cupra Born VZ, meaning it holds a near-£10,000 premium over the 429bhp MG 4 EV XPower (£36,495).
The ID 3 GTX Performance is the first electric hot hatch to arrive from Volkswagen. It will be joined by the less powerful (282bhp) ID 3 GTX later this year.
Both use the same APP550 electric motor on the rear axle as the standard 201bhp ID 3 but in a much higher state of tune.
Several chassis and suspension tweaks have been made to give the GTX a more dynamic character than regular ID 3s.
In the GTX Performance, this amounts to retuned steering for “greater precision”, sports suspension and a new Dynamic Chassis Control system, like in the Golf GTI.
A 79kWh (usable) battery replaces the standard car’s 77kWh pack for an official range of up to 369 miles.
DC charging peaks at 185kW to give a 10-80% charge in 26 minutes.
The GTX Performance gets a subtly sportier look, with a new model-specific front bumper design, together with new ‘arrowhead’ LED daytime running lights, black gloss trim and a rear diffuser.
The wheels are 20in in diameter as standard and sports seats are fitted.
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Rear wheel drive hot hatch sounds very promising. Excellent range too. If only it looked a bit more interesting. Perhaps a brighter colour and anything other than black alloys would help, but even then, it lacks the extra details you get with say a Golf GTI.
Love the exterior, performance, economy, zero tailpipe emissions, range but ...... the awful interior throws all those advantages under the bus, electric bus of course.