For all those who doubt whether the performance versions of the Volkswagen Golf will go all-electric, here’s some news that should sway you.
Volkswagen has revised the logo of the GTI version of the model to adapt it to the electric era. Or at least, the company has come up with a new design, which it has patented.
The letters GTI have always stood for Grand Touring Injection. Now they'll stand for Grand Touring Induction. Simple enough. Where the change is noticeable is with the logo; on the new design, the “I” is replaced by a lightning bolt. The new logo was spotted by CarBuzz in a document filed with the German Patent and Trademark Office.
The good news is that it confirms that the GTI designation and attendant philosophy will survive into the electric age.
However, CarBuzz raises a few questions about the use of the GTX designation. It is currently used to designate Volkswagen's high-performance electric models. Will we see the letters GTI take their place, due to their greater historical appeal? Or does the new logo simply refer to a partial electrification of the Golf GTI?
Of course, we'll have to be patient to see what form Volkswagen's long-term strategy takes, but it's clear that the GTI letters have greater resonance with enthusiasts. Will they be reserved for the Golf's high-performance variant alone, or attached to other models?
As far as the current Golf is concerned, its career isn't over yet. Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schaefer expects it to be marketed with its gasoline engines until the end of this decade. The company will then assess the situation.
