Volkswagen ID.X Performance: Electric Elegance Meets Vintage Skepticism
Ah, Volkswagen. The makers of the lovable Beetle and those Vans which many of us spent our reckless years in. Just when I thought they were settling into electric complacency, they decided to jazz things up. Apparently, they’re done reminiscing about the past and want to play with the big electric boys now. And play they did, bringing out the ID.X Performance at the ID. Treffen in Locarno. A place so fancy, I had to Google it to make sure it wasn’t a type of pasta.
Now, let's get one thing straight. The ID.X Performance isn’t the sedan you buy for a casual Sunday drive or to impress your neighbor's yoga instructor. No, this beast is all about dynamism, looking like it’s ready to dart even while parked. Carbon components? Check. Rear diffuser? You bet. And a rear wing so divisive it’s got its own fan base. Whether you’re a fan or not, one has to admit – it’s pretty darn good-looking.
Inside, it’s a carbon festival with bucket seats begging to hug you close, especially when you’re tempted to test its sporting prowess. Oh, and if red's your color, you’re in luck – it’s everywhere, as if the car is blushing from all the attention.
Power-wise, this isn’t a slouch. With 558 PS (that’s 411 kW for those of you who've recently googled "What's a kilowatt?"), it’s like having a pocket rocket under the hood. And talk about being fancy – it’s got a Vehicle Dynamics Manager. Yup, sounds impressive. But all you need to know is it’s a fancy tool to handle all that raw power, which is manipulated through a snazzy 17-cm display.
The battery for this marvel is borrowed from its more modest sibling, the ID.7 AWD - although calling a 313 hp AWD electric sedan “modest” is a bit - modest?. It's akin to stealing the jock's sneakers for the mathlete's race. And that battery? Well, it's ready for some quick charging, assuming you find the right socket.
Now, here’s the twist. Remember when I said the ID.X Performance wasn't your typical sedan? It’s actually a show car, folks. Gotcha there! But keep those credit cards ready because its derivative, the ID.7, will hit the U.S. soon. Europe’s already getting it for a price that’s just a tad over what you might spend on a small boat – something around $62,000 for the base version.
With all the buzz around the ID.X Performance, it’s hard to ignore its influence on the teased ID.7 GTX. Although it might drop a few ostentatious features like the rebellious rear wing, the soul – its powertrain – will remain. It’s a bit like your wild college friend settling down – a little tamer but with the same fiery spirit.
But here's a little whisper for you - while Volkswagen's electric platform, the MEB, underpins the ID.X Performance, it might already be yesterday's news. The latest VW ID. GTI is teasing a newer platform. So, is VW's latest dazzler just a one-hit-wonder? Only time will tell. But a 558 PS electric VW? Take my money already!
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
