The development marks a change in direction for Volkswagen. In 2023, the company had indicated that its electric GTI models would avoid fake shifting systems altogether. Now, the hotter Clubsport variant is set to adopt the technology while also gaining additional power and chassis upgrades.
The standard ID. Polo GTI remains part of Volkswagen’s broader push to transition its performance lineup into the electric era. The model is expected to debut later this year before going on sale in 2027, based on the already revealed ID. Polo platform.
Volkswagen Reverses Course on Virtual Shifting
When details about the electric GTI first emerged in 2023, Volkswagen executives appeared unconvinced by the idea of simulated gears. Autocar reported at the time that the standard GTI would feature synthetic acceleration sounds but no virtual transmission system.
Volkswagen research and development chief Kai Grünitz had previously hinted that the electric GTI would include “two or three special gadgets to put a smile on your face,” though he did not specify what those features would be.
That position has now evolved for the Clubsport model. According to Autocar, Volkswagen vehicle dynamics boss Florian Umbach confirmed the company is actively working on a paddle-operated shifting system similar to the setup used by Hyundai’s electric N performance cars.
“We are working on something,” Umbach said. He added that it would be “a similar kind of paddle shift power delivery that the [electric] Hyundai N cars have.”
The simulated shifting system will not be fitted to the regular GTI version. Volkswagen intends to reserve it for the more track-focused Clubsport derivative.
More power planned for the Clubsport version
Volkswagen is also preparing performance upgrades for the Clubsport beyond the simulated gearbox effects. Umbach explained that the company sees additional potential in the existing motor and battery package.
“There is certainly more peak power that we can find from the motor and battery hardware that we have, and more torque that the front axle could handle also. There is clear potential,” he said.
The standard ID. Polo has already been revealed with outputs of up to 208 horsepower and a 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) time of 7.1 seconds. The GTI version raises output to 223 horsepower, matching the related Cupra Raval VZ, while reducing the sprint time to 6.5 seconds.
According to InsideEVs, that still leaves Volkswagen behind several competing electric hot hatches. The Peugeot E-208 GTi produces 277 horsepower and reaches 62 mph in 5.7 seconds, while the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa GSE delivers the same power output with a slightly quicker acceleration time.
The Clubsport is also expected to feature lower and stiffer suspension settings along with a more aggressive exterior design package.
Carmakers Continue Adding Artificial Driving Sensations to EVs
Volkswagen joins a growing list of manufacturers experimenting with synthetic driving feedback in electric performance cars. Hyundai was the first automaker to introduce simulated engine sounds and virtual gear changes in a production EV performance model.
Hyundai’s approach intentionally feels artificial rather than attempting to fully replicate a combustion engine. More recent systems from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Genesis appear to be moving closer to realistic simulations.
Mercedes-Benz is developing an electric four-door model featuring a simulated V-8 soundtrack and a manual gearbox mode. BMW is also preparing synthetic combustion sounds and virtual gears for future electric M cars equipped with quad-motor systems.
The report from InsideEVs also highlights the Genesis GV60 Magma, which shares its mechanical foundation with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The Genesis uses a sound profile that resembles “a real six-cylinder” more closely than Hyundai’s intentionally video game-like setup.
Volkswagen has already introduced retro-inspired digital displays in the ID. Polo, with instrumentation designed to mimic the gauge cluster from the original Golf. The company is reportedly considering broader customization features for future GTI models, though no further details have been confirmed.
