Volkswagen teases ID.2 concept reveal; the electric ‘people’s car’

September: ID.GTI concept revealed

The new ID.2all-based ID.GTI concept has made its debut in Munich at the IAA Mobility 2023 motor show.

The concept arrives as a move the German brand describes as “marking the next chapter in the iconic GTI legacy”. Details at the link below!

March 16: ID.2all concept unveiled

Volkswagen has pulled the covers from its new ID.2all concept, previewing the anticipated ID.2 hatch. It'll be sold in Europe for around AU$40,000 – so it'll be interesting to see how VW prices it in Oz, if it comes here. Get the full story at the link below.

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Volkswagen has published a mysterious video teaser for an event next week – and it could reveal the long-awaited, more affordable ID.2 electric hatchback.

The short 12-second video posted on Twitter has the #VWforthepeople hashtag and a voiceover stating: “This is a car – full of the latest innovation, ready to go out into the world. But it’s not a Volkswagen yet.”

Strangely, it displays the ID.4 and ID.5 electric SUV twins in the teaser (suggesting they’re not Volkswagens?), then counts down from four to two with the tagline: ‘More 2 come 4 you’.

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Volkswagen ID.2 concept sketch

A separate post illustrates a variety of people’s faces in front of a light blue background, seemingly other text cut-out from the image, and indicates that it’ll detail Volkswagen’s new design language and vision.

It hints at Volkswagen going back to its roots with the famous ‘people’s car’ slogan used in the Beetle since 1937. The ‘world premiere’ event is scheduled for March 16.

Autocar reports the German automaker will only preview a new ID.2 concept car next week.

The production model set to go on sale overseas in 2025 with a targeted AU$36,200 (GBP£19,970) starting price, debut the evolved MEB-Plus platform, pack a cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, and could even wear the iconic Golf badge.

Previous rumours from the British publication have also pointed to a more rugged crossover SUV-like design variant, in addition to GTI and R hot hatch guises.

Both Cupra and Skoda are set to launch related city EVs around 2025, as previewed by the Cupra UrbanRebel crossover concept and yet-to-be named Skoda model.

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Cupra UrbanRebel concept

A more affordable and compact Volkswagen ID.2 EV has been rumoured since it previewed the boxy and retro ID. Life concept in 2021.

Volkswagen’s former design head Jozef Kabaň was recently replaced after being in the role for just two years.

Reports suggest the new Volkswagen cars CEO Thomas Schäfer had ‘significant disagreements’ with Kabaň over EV design decisions, and asked him to ‘rework’ the ID. Life concept to serve the more popular SUV market for the production ID.2 EV.

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Volkswagen ID Life concept

The new chief executive, who was appointed in July 2022, has vowed to reintroduce physical buttons to address complaints about its simplified touch-focused technology approach that debuted in the ID.3 small car in 2019 under the helm of former Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess.

The forthcoming ID.7 large sedan will add illuminated touch-sensitive slider controls and launch a new 15-inch touchscreen with an improved software interface – which will eventually carryover to the recently unveiled ID.3 facelift overseas in 2024.