Volkswagen‘s latest apprentice car marries an all-electric powertrain with the eye-catching looks and mind-blowing sound system of a show car that would be at home in a Need for Speed video game.
Dubbed the Volkswagen ID.5 GTX Xcite, this car is the eighth show car built by Volkswagen apprentices in Germany.
Volkswagen Australia has produced a number of similar one-off apprentice cars, with recent examples including a track-ready Arteon Art Car, as well as a stripped-out Amarok V6 time attack ute.
14 second- and third-year apprentices were part of this year’s ID.5 GTX Xcite project, which took one year to complete.
The show car is based on a standard Volkswagen ID.5 GTX which is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup that produces a total system output of 220kW of power and 310Nm.
On the outside there’s a wide-body kit with widened door sills, as well as adapted front and rear fenders.
There are also 22-inch forged aluminium wheels that are powder-coated black, and have a aerodynamic design.
The ID.5 GTX Xcite is finished in a golden green paint colour combining a range of matte and gloss paints from the Volkswagen and Lamborghini ranges.
Inside, there’s Alcantara and vegan leather everywhere, with the cockpit, steering wheel, door trims, and roof liner upgraded.
The seats, steering wheel and dashboard are accented with orange stitching, with the front seat headrests having a project logo embroidered on them.
The ID.5 GTX Xcite has a mind-blowing sound system that was designed by the team using Gladen, Musway, and Bang & Olufsen equipment.
The sound system comprises 10 amplifiers and a subwoofer, and has a total output of 2000 watts.
In the boot of the show car is a Teamgee H5 electric skateboard that Volkswagen describes as the “perfect companion” for last-mile transportation.
As recently reported, the regular Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs could finally land in Australia before the end of 2023 if the company’s local division gets its way.
“Globally Volkswagen is balancing supply and demand, however an electrification expansion is clearly our target in concert with pursuing the fully-electric ID.4 and ID.5 – in fact we are working to bring forward their SOP [start of production] for Australia to the second half of next year,” a Volkswagen Australia spokesman said.
There have been a series of setbacks for Volkswagen Australia, which had originally planned to launch its first ID. EV models in 2022, then 2023, and then sometime during 2023 or 2024.
The ID.4 and ID.5 shape up as VW’s best candidates to kick off its electric onslaught in Australia, serving as electric alternatives to the similarly-sized Tiguan.
Michal Szaniecki, Volkswagen Australia’s director for passenger vehicles, recently told CarExpert new electric models like the ID.4 and ID.5 will offer lineups that are “much simpler” than existing nameplates.
“Each model will be much simpler than today’s portfolio” Mr Szaniecki said. “That’s completely fine, it’s appreciated by our customers because the choice is much more intuitive, much simpler, and much faster.”
“Economically, it’s also justified because [customers] aren’t lost in an abundance of opportunities.”
MORE: Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 EVs set for Australia in 2023
MORE: Volkswagen ID. electric products to have ‘simpler’ line-ups in Australia
