Volkswagen's Latest Special Edition Will Take You Back To The 1990s

The Performance variant can get to 100 km per hour in 5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 124 mph. Previously seen as a one-off, Volkswagen now has a limited production run planned for the retro-themed special edition that harkens back to the 1990s.

The ID.3 GTX Fire & Ice is a homage to the second-gen VW Golf special edition with the same name. The company is limiting production to 1,990 units in the United Kingdom, with prices starting at £48,360 pounds. That would equal approximately $64,200 if VW offered the retro-themed GTX in the States, and frankly, we're a bit peeved about that. The company begins taking orders on August 7, and no, there aren't any plans to bring the hot hatch across the pond.

The special edition ID.3 GTX is eye-catching with its Ultra Violet metallic paint, red stripe along the roofline, and geometric graphic pattern on the C pillar. The taillights also get a dark tint. In the dark, the puddle lights show an ice logo on the driver's side and a fire emblem on the passenger side. Plus, the colorful hot hatch rides on 20-inch Locarno alloy wheels with a diamond-turned finish.

VW calls the interior color combo Flame red and Floxal blue, and they bring the fire and ice theme into the hot hatch's cabin. Colorful stitching adorns the steering wheel, instrument panel, door trim, and floor mats.

The powertrain is identical to the existing GTX Performance, meaning that buyers get plenty of capability from this vibrant hot hatch. The 79-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery can fast charge at up to 185 kilowatts, which is enough to go from 10% to 80% charge in about 26 minutes. The VW Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive damper system also ensures a comfortable, yet sporty ride.

The special edition ID.3 is also part of a collaboration with the German fashion brand Bogner, which now has a Fire + Ice line of clothing. The pieces include t-shirts, coats, pants, hats, and more. The quilting on the special edition model's seats take inspiration from the company's down jackets.

"The revival of the cooperation between Volkswagen and Bogney Fire + Ice after more than 30 years, and the realization of a series production model, is a major milestone for us,"
– Daniel Hiendlmeier, managing director and chief brand officer of Bogner

In 2024, VW announced plans to phase out using the GTX name. Instead, it would use the much better-known GTI and R branding for sports EVs. The plan is for GTI models to be front-wheel drive, while the R moniker would be for all-wheel drive offerings. The decision came after the automaker had already introduced GTX variants of the ID. 3, ID. 7, and ID. Buzz.

VW's strategy is to keep the existing GTX models in production under the same branding. Suddenly changing the names to GTI or R could cause market confusion in the automaker's view. The new monikers will start showing up on upcoming models.

"GTX is the performance brand of the MEB [platform], but we'll work our way back to GTI and R in the next products going forward," said VW Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schäfer. "With the current products, this is what it is, but future products will go back to a clear portfolio."