Volkswagen will launch significantly modified versions of its electric ID models from 2026 as part of a major upgrade to the MEB architecture on which they are based.
Volkswagen R&D chief Kai Grunitz confirmed this to Autocar at the Los Angeles Auto Show, along with the announcement of a new ID 2 SUV concept car for the 2025 Munich show, as well as a facelift for the Polo also for 2025.
Grunic said the “big improvements” from 2026 for the ID models will include a new look that “goes back to where we came from,” as well as improvements related to battery costs, overall performance and new functionality.
The appearance of the new ID models will be inspired by the ID 2all concept car, which represents design chief Andreas Mindt’s vision for the future of VW design that is completely friendly and inspired by the models of the past.
Grunitz said the look will be more akin to “what Volkswagen stands for” from a design perspective, and along with the production version of the ID 2, it will be a visual leap for VW, as part of company boss Thomas Schaeffer’s desire to make VW a “beloved brand” again. .
He confirmed that the production version of the VW ID 2all concept car is planned for launch in late 2025/early 2026. He also said that it will be the “starting point” for this new era for VW, “because customers will see that there has been a change, and a much bigger change than expected.”
The ID 2 SUV variant will be announced at the Munich Motor Show in September 2025, as the second VW model to be based on the MEB Entry architecture.
A GTI version of the ID 2 is also planned. However, Grunic said the company has “ideas that will surprise you” when the first electric GTI launches in 2026.
Grunic didn’t confirm which models would disappear from the lineup, but said the Polo won’t be one of them since it’s slated for a major update.
Prepared by: Ivan Mitić – Autoblog.rs
Source: autoblog.rs
