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Volkswagen’s Electric Revolution: The Future of GTI Hot Hatches Unveiled
Production version of ID GTI is due next year as first of new family of EV hot hatchesVolkswagen ID 2 GTI is on track for 2026 launch, followed by hot EV Golf and other "monsters"
Volkswagen is preparing to expand the GTI performance brand across multiple model lines in the electric era - and CEO Thomas Schäfer says the hot new models will be "mind-blowing" to drive.
The company is preparing to take GTI electric in 2026 with the production version of the ID GTI concept - which will be the hot range-topping variant of the ID 2 supermini.
A potent version of the electric ninth-generation Golf will follow by the end of the decade - and these two cars will "start a whole group of GTI" models due to be rolled out in the coming years across Volkswagen's electric line-up.
Schäfer revealed that work is well under way on development of the first GTI EVs and he pledged that they will remain true to the characteristics of every GTI model that has gone before.
"First of all: can you make an electric Golf exciting? Absolutely," he said. "We have driven a few prototypes that we have built on the new set-up and it is mind-blowing."
Schäfer said the overarching priority of the electric GTI engineering programme is to make these next-gen hot hatchbacks feel obviously different from the standard car. "What about the sound? What about the total feel? The handling and so on can be done," he said.
But it will be a few years before Volkswagen shows a production-ready electric Golf GTI, with today's petrol-powered car due to remain on sale well into the second half of the 2020s.
Schäfer said: "We have time now, as the Golf is running very well into the end of this decade, and at the end of the decade, we'll bring an electric Golf."
He added that his experience of the prototypes suggests the next GTI will be "a monster car".
"I'm very happy with the progress," he said. "It's cool and you can make it exciting. It has to be exciting and it has to be authentic."
Schäfer did not give any indication of when Volkswagen will reveal the final version of the ID 2 GTI, but the standard car is due to be launched in early 2026, which is also the 50th anniversary of the launch of the original Mk1 Golf GTI - opening the possibility of a debut at the firm's annual GTI festival in Wolfsburg next summer.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen plans to mark the occasion with a new special 50th anniversary version of today's Golf GTI at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in June.
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Aston Martin Unveils Revolutionary Dual-Screen Apple CarPlay Experience
Apps such as maps can now be mirrored on the car's instrument panel as well as its infotainment screenCarPlay now runs across two screens and can control various in-car functions in latest Aston Martin models
Aston Martin has become the first manufacturer to offer the second generation of Apple's in-car smartphone mirroring system.
Apple CarPlay Ultra dramatically expands the amount of screen space that the Apple interface can occupy, entering the car's instrument display as well as its infotainment screen.
This means users can display maps or media alongside the rev counter and speedometer. They will also be able to select one of various designs for the instruments, as well as personalised colours, backgrounds and screen layouts.
Additionally, functions such as the climate and audio controls are now accessible via the CarPlay interface and can be adjusted using Apple's Siri voice assistant.
“Building on our in-house state-of-the-art infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra will provide additional functionality and personalisation opportunities which place Aston Martin at the forefront of infotainment in the sector,“ said CEO Adrian Hallmark.
The new system will first be rolled out in the US and Canada, then the UK and Europe within the next 12 months.
CarPlay Ultra will be included as standard in the DB12, Vantage, Vanquish and DBX 707 from the 2025 model year, plus the new DBX S.
Owners of existing cars with Aston Martin's latest-generation infotainment system (introduced with the launch of the DB12) will be offered a free software update at official dealerships.
CarPlay was launched in 2014 and first featured in the Ferrari FF, with the California T following shortly thereafter.
Aston Martin’s current technology boss, Roberto Fedeli, held the same role at Ferrari at that time.
By 2016, CarPlay had become an optional extra on many mainstream cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Peugeot 208 and Volkswagen Golf, and today it's rare to see it omitted from the standard kit list on any new car.
Notable exceptions include the Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y and Leapmotor models.
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