Volkswagen reveals ID Buzz GTX with 340hp
The most unlikely member of the GTX clan has arrived with all-wheel drive and Cherry Red paint
Volkswagen’s GTX product offensive, which kicked off last week with the simultaneous introduction of the range-topping ID 3 and ID 7, reaches a fever pitch this week with the launch of ‘the most powerful Bulli [Camper] of all time’. Thanks in part to a new motor on the front axle, the GTX delivers 340hp to the ID Buzz and means the electric fun bus will accelerate to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and can now tow up to 1,800kg.
The second number is likely to be more important to buyers than the first. At no point during our time with the 204hp rear-drive ID Buzz did we seriously yearn for additional output - the electric Camper, quite rightly, isn’t built for going very quickly - but all-wheel drive usability and an 800kg increase in maximum trailer weight (or 600kg for the long-wheelbase variant) will obviously be a boon for anyone looking to tow something significant to their destination.
So it’s probably safe to regard the ID Buzz GTX as more a branding exercise than a legitimate attempt to make a go-faster derivative. But faster it will go - top speed is capped at 99mph rather than 90 - and VW has made it available in both wheelbase sizes (meaning you will eventually be able to get it as a seven-seater) and with either a 79kWh or 86kWh battery. The latter, which can fast charge up to 200kW, is probably the one to go for if you’re planning on hitching up a boat or the like (it’s standard on the LWB) although VW reckons the 26 minutes it takes to get the battery from 10 to 80 per cent is roughly the same.
The manufacturer doesn’t commit to a predicted range at this stage, but we’d imagine it isn’t substantially different from the 255 miles of WLTP-rated orbit you get from the rear-drive variant. Either way, the battery pack powers a 285hp rear-mounted motor and a smaller 109hp one on the front. As you’d expect, VW is keen to underline the superior traction offered by the GTX’s new configuration - again, mostly for its capacity in dealing with slippery surfaces rather than neck-straining action in slow corners.
There’s a smattering of exterior changes to differentiate the newcomer, mostly centred on a revised front bumper with a black honeycomb grille and integrated daytime running lights. There’s a lot of gloss black applied to other minor trim details too, and somewhat inevitably (though not necessarily advisably) 20-inch wheels are standard. The colour you see here, dubbed Cherry Red, is an exclusive paint for the GTX and can be had as a two-tone scheme with Mono Silver metallic.
Inside, the most expensive ID Buzz is available as a five-seater with a 40:60 split in the second row or as a six-seater with two individual seats in two rows. The LWB version launches with the same seating layout (albeit with the increased roominess that 250mm of extended wheelbase gets you) but will eventually be offered with a three-seat bench in the second row, giving you room for seven. You get model-specific seats and a much darker theme (the GTX is the only ID Buzz to feature a black headliner) offset with customary red cross-stitching - but otherwise the interior is familiar. No word on pricing yet but VW expects pre-sales to kick off in the summer. Just long enough to buy a boat beforehand then.
Had a look at one of these and it's just too small for that sort of thing. The dealer told me it was lwb caddy sized but when I went and took a look it was more like a bloody tarted up Touran.
"285hp rear-mounted motor and a smaller 109hp" and "RE: Volkswagen reveals ID Buzz GTX with 340hp"
Last time I looked 285 and 109 dont add up to 340, or am I missing something, is it not a case of adding the outputs together ?
"285hp rear-mounted motor and a smaller 109hp" and "RE: Volkswagen reveals ID Buzz GTX with 340hp"
Last time I looked 285 and 109 dont add up to 340, or am I missing something, is it not a case of adding the outputs together ?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff