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Spectacular world premiere of the new ID.4 GTX

ByDave Stopher

May 13, 2021
  • Intelligent performance: world premiere on a ramp with a 37.5% incline
  • ID.4 GTX1 demonstrates the performance of its dual-motor all-wheel drive
  • Projection with a 3D real-time graphics system originally designed for video game development

Wolfsburg/Berlin – The new ID.4 GTX demonstrated its impressive dynamics and sportiness at its world premiere in Berlin, which was held in a hangar at the former Tempelhof Airport. The centrepiece of the event was a 525 square metre ramp with a gradient of 37.5%, which the ID.4 GTX climbed with no problems at all, thanks to its dual-motor all-wheel drive. The ramp served as the stage for a mixed reality (XR) installation.

The first GTX in the ID. family was introduced as part of an extraordinary real-time spectacular. A game engine and tracking system that covered the entire hangar space transformed the physical ramp became a window into a virtual world. In the mixed reality performance the boundaries between reality and virtual fantasy disappeared.

High-performance real-time graphics and storytelling were combined with sculptural architecture to create a trend-setting production. From the camera’s perspective, the ramp became an infinite space.

Twelve full-HD projectors were used for this technique, which is known as “projection mapping”, while the vehicle and camera crane tracking was provided through 32 infrared cameras. The contents were then played back using the 3D real-time graphics system of the Unreal Engine, which is also used for video game development.

The ID.4 GTX will be launched in Europe in summer 2021. In Germany, it will start at an entry-level price of 50,415 euros, with customers being able to apply for a (net) grant of 7,500 euros.

Short clip of the world premiere: https://youtu.be/nKN42lnlAeM

1 ID.4 GTX – Power consumption in kWh/100 km (NEDC): 19.1–18.1 (combined); COemissions in g/km: 0; efficiency class: A+

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand is present in more than 150 markets worldwide and produces vehicles at more than 30 locations in 13 countries. Volkswagen delivered around 5.3 million vehicles in 2020. These include bestsellers such as the Golf, Tiguan, Jetta or Passat as well as the fully electric successful models ID.3 and ID.4. Around 184,000 people currently work at Volkswagen worldwide. In addition, there are more than 10,000 trading companies and service partners with 86,000 employees. With its ACCELERATE strategy, Volkswagen is consistently advancing its further development into a software-oriented mobility provider.