In dialog with Kai Grünitz

Mr. Grünitz, you brought two GTI models with you, the Golf and an electric GTI concept. Why?
Both are iconic for Volkswagen. One has been a tradition for almost 50 years and is an automotive icon, even if I am cautious with such a designation. Almost everyone knows the three letters GTI, almost everyone has a GTI story. The other one, the ID. GTI Concept, shows that we will bring this emotional brand into the electric world. And reinterpret everything that makes a GTI.

When you say that the Golf GTI is a Volkswagen brand icon. What do you mean by that?
First of all, it’s a Golf. It’s celebrating its 50th birthday this year – it’s amazing how many positive stories I’ve already read. The Golf is something like the core of the brand, even if our SUVs are now selling even better globally.

But it has stood for the VW virtues from the very beginning: Quality, consistency, democratization of technology. This is also demonstrated by the current generation of the Golf 8. For example, we offer artificial intelligence with voice control, two plug-in hybrids with up to 272 hp and an electric range of more than 120 kilometers or matrix LED headlights. All of which are not standard in the compact class, but are available and affordable in our Golf.

And it was a similar story with the GTI. In 1976, it was as fast as most luxury cars, but it was accessible as an everyday sports car. And to this day, a GTI Clubsport S is the fastest Volkswagen on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Do you also own a GTI?
I’m a child of the region, I grew up in Helmstedt and have close ties with Volkswagen. I’m currently looking for a GTI, it should be from 1977, like me. But I haven’t found one yet…

Perhaps the ID. GTI Concept would be something for you…
Definitely. It’s really exciting to bring the GTI genes into the future. Not only has Andy Mindt’s design team done a good job, but the engineers are also putting their heart and soul into reinterpreting the GTI. We have just built and tested the first drivable prototypes. And I can already make a promise: Hearts will beat faster. It’s really fun.

When is it coming?
The GTI will be 50 in 2026 – that would be a good time…

Is the GTI also so special because your new Chinese competitors don’t have anything like it?
I am certain: the future needs deep roots. Our heritage is an asset that we can use to our advantage. And not just with the GTI: the Golf and the Tiguan are also good examples of this. And certainly an advantage.

And yet the media talk about the Chinese car industry being superior to the German one…
It’s not that simple. We must not underestimate new competitors and have to take them seriously. However, back in the 1980s there were warnings from the Japanese manufacturers who were pushing into Europe at the time. Have they overrun us? No. There are Japanese cars in Germany and German cars in Japan.

It was similar with the Koreans in the 2000s. And it will be the same with the Chinese competitors. We have understood and will now do our homework in China at full speed. We enjoy the competition, it has always spurred us on and made us better, and that will be the case this time too. And believe me: we have lots of good ideas.

Is there a need for punitive tariffs on Chinese cars, as is sometimes heard in politics?
I believe in free trade and don’t believe in protectionism. Competition is a good thing. However, economic relations between countries must be fair.

The current transformation situation also includes the discussion about technological openness and postponing the phase-out of combustion engines in Europe. What is your position on this?
Basically, the future belongs to electric propulsion. The discussion about postponing the phase-out in Europe doesn’t help anyone – as an automotive industry, we need a reliable legislative framework. Also to avoid expensive parallel developments of different technologies, things like E-fuels are a supplement that helps to accelerate decarbonization, whether it’s about ships, it’s about airplanes, or places where we have no other sensible technical solution.

But the truth is that electromobility still has problems. The cars are too expensive for many customers, the expansion of the infrastructure is slow – with a corresponding reluctance to buy.
This is a snapshot in time, as such issues are not unusual during the ramp-up of a new technology. It is true that we need more affordable electric cars in order to increase volumes. Our ID. 2all, the basis for the ID. GTI Concept, shows what we mean: a fully-fledged Volkswagen – safe, comfortable, high-quality, starting at under 25,000 euros. We are also working on offering an electric car for 20,000 euros. We are Volkswagen. It is our social duty to build affordable e-cars. In terms of infrastructure, there is a lack of charging facilities in cities in particular. That needs to improve quickly. I think it makes sense to make it compulsory to install a charging station at every filling station, as planned by the German government.

To summarize – so Volkswagen is well prepared for the transformation of the automotive industry?
I am optimistic, we have a good plan that we are pursuing consistently. First of all, we have put the products and the planned portfolio in order. I am therefore confident that we will bring out the right cars at the right time. They are all 100 percent Volkswagens. At the same time, we are working on making ourselves economically robust enough to be able to afford all of this. So yes, we are well prepared. Even if this will certainly not be a sure-fire success and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us in the coming years.