Volkswagen is developing a hardcore Clubsport version of the upcoming ID 2 GTI, according to insiders.

The front-wheel-drive ID 2 GTI, revealed in near-ready concept form, is due on sale towards the end of 2026 with around 223bhp from VW’s new-generation APP550 electric motor. But Autocar has learned that engineers at VW’s research and development centre in Braunschweig, Germany, are also working on a more potent and focused range-topper, targeting a peak output of 282bhp.

Alongside the additional power, this flagship – in keeping with the hot Golf Clubsports that have gone before – is being conceived with a series of mechanical and electronic upgrades.

Chief among them is a fully mechanical limited-slip differential, which offers torque-vectoring capability between the front wheels. “We’re not working with brake intervention,” said one source. “It’s a fully mechanical system.”

Further upgrades under consideration include variable torque delivery and a virtual gearchange function. Together, these systems modulate how quickly torque builds with speed and throttle input to reduce jerkiness under hard acceleration while replicating the stepped response of a traditional manual gearbox.

Both ID 2 GTI variants will be based on the MEB Entry platform (internally known as MEB-21) and are expected to use the APP550 motor also used in other recently unveiled or upgraded Volkswagen EVs.

“We’re arriving late, but with force,” said one Volkswagen insider.

Although a launch date has yet to be confirmed, the ID 2 GTI Clubsport is expected to follow the template set by previous Golf GTI Clubsport models, which have historically offered more power, sharper chassis tuning and limited-edition status over their standard GTI counterparts.

The first Golf GTI Clubsport was launched in 2016 to mark the GTI’s 40th anniversary and was followed by the Clubsport S – then a Nürburgring record holder with a stripped-out interior and manual gearbox.

The current Golf GTI Clubsport is powered by a 296bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and features bespoke ECU mapping, chassis upgrades and adaptive suspension tuning. It is positioned as Volkswagen’s fastest and most advanced front-wheel-drive hot hatchback to date.