The legendary Volkswagen FIRE+ICE brand has entered the electric era. Volkswagen’s new ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE is a tribute to the exclusive Golf Fire and ICE with a reinterpretation of the iconic 90s design.

“With the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE, we are emphasizing how highly emotional our sporty top model is,” Volkswagen’s head of design, Andreas Mindt, said.

Volkswagen introduced the one-off show car at its ID Meeting in Switzerland on Friday. The sporty electric hot hatch was developed with Munich-based BOGNER as an electric reinterpretation of the FIRE+ICE Golf model of the early 90s.

The Golf FIRE+ICE achieved “cult status,” especially the GTI version, according to VW. Although Volkswagen only planned to sell 10,000 units, a total of 16,700 were sold.

Reminiscent of the exclusive Golf, the EV hot hatch blends the FIRE+ICE performance brand with the sporty ID.3 GTX, Tom Becker, director of BOGNER FIRE+ICE, explained. Becker added, “The special thing is that we were able to integrate many of our original materials and accessories into the interior of the vehicle.”

On the outside, the new ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE “stands out above all” with an exclusive 3-layer paint and glass bead effect.

The Electric Violet pearl color was chosen as a tribute to the Golf Mk2 Fire and Ice, which had an exclusive dark violet pearl-effect paint finish. With special color effects, the exterior can change from dark blue to violet or even black, depending on the lightning.

On the side, VW’s one-off ID.3 GTX features geometric FIRE+ICE patterns in transparent matte.

Volkswagen added 21″ rims and included the original FIRE+ICE badge from the 90s on the B-pillar and roof spoiler.

The interior has also been upgraded with a split color scheme. Volkswagen included a flaming red accent on the driver’s side seats and seams, while the passenger seats and interior have ice blue design elements.

Scattered throughout are FIRE+ICE logos, including on the accelerator and brake. It also includes colors, fabric, and elements from BOGNER’s collection. If you open the B-zippers, you will find the original fabric from the 90s.

Volkswagen’s new FIRE+ICE model shares its most powerful electric motor, which is used in the ID.3 GTX Performance. With up to 321 hp, the Performance EV can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds. The 79 kWh battery provides up to 373 mi (601 km) WLTP range.

Extreme sports and brand cooperation around them had existed way before sugary energy drinks made them an everyday thing. One of the true pioneers in the field is Willy Bogner.

In a time way before GoPros and social media, the German fashion designer took a full-size film camera and created silver-screen magic as he followed actors down steep mountain slopes on skis. The resulting film was called “Fire and Ice,” an ’80s celebration of all things chic mixed with plenty of often humorous action.

Initially, Bogner used it to market his own high-end clothing brand, but once the sequel “Fire, Ice and Dynamite” came along, the entrepreneurial German expanded his brand cooperation to include Volkswagen.

The results were an amusing chase sequence with some one-off VWs and a limited-edition production model that has become a bit of a cult classic: the 1990 Golf MKII Fire+Ice.

Now the firm is bringing it back, albeit in electrified form. The Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice is the latest example of how the brand is merging nostalgia with modern EV technology. Unveiled at the recent ID. Meeting, this (currently) one-off model brings back the “Fire and Ice” theme from the much-loved MKII version and integrates it into a modern electric vehicle.

Let’s start with the styling. The first thing that grabs your attention is the new Electric Violet paint, which has a unique glass bead effect that changes depending on how the light hits it.

It’s a modern interpretation of the original Fire+Ice model, which was all about bold, contrasting (and very, very ’90s) colors. There are still hints of the old design, but it doesn’t try to copy the original too hard.

Just like the original, the new Fire+Ice was created together with Willy Bogner. Now in his eighties, the maestro might not be racing down ski slopes anymore, but he’s still a designer at heart and was happy to add his premium touch to this very special ID.3 GTX.

A new interior made from high-quality materials and featuring red-and-blue accents now sets this car apart from its more common siblings. There’s even a throwback to the 1990s with the classic Fire+Ice logo appearing on various parts of the interior, adding a bit of nostalgia for longtime Volkswagen fans.

When it comes to performance, the ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice isn’t just about looks. Under the hood (or, more accurately, the floor) sits a 79kWh battery powering a dual-motor setup that delivers a combined output of 326hp. In terms of acceleration, you’re looking at a 0-100km/h time of just 5.7 seconds.

That’s fast, but what’s more impressive is how this performance comes seemingly without compromising on range. Thanks to its nifty drivetrain and sleek aerodynamic design, the ID.3 GTX Fire+Ice claims a range of 601km on a single charge under WLTP conditions.

It also supports DC fast charging at up to 185kW, allowing the battery to go from 10% to 80% charge in just 26 minutes.

That’s about enough time for a quick coffee break before you’re ready to hit the road again.

That Volkswagen unveiled the car at the ID. Meeting was no coincidence. The firm is clearly trying to bridge the gap between its petrol-powered past and electrified future, and is trying to do so by capturing the nostalgia angle that many petrolheads have a real soft spot for.

The driving experience in the GTX Fire+Ice should be a lively one. Maybe not as pure and simple as the MKII Golf of the same name, but the dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup should keep the physical grip, and with it the giggle factor high.

Add in the fact that the battery pack is mounted low in the chassis, and you’ve got a car with a low center of gravity, which should make for sharp handling and a planted feel in corners.

The suspension has been tuned for both comfort and performance, making it equally suitable for daily commutes as it is for spirited driving on twisty roads.

Officially, the GTX Fire+Ice is a one-off and won’t be hitting showrooms at any point in the future, but a part of me is hoping that maybe enough middle-aged fans of the brand will nag the Germans until they change their minds and create at least a small production run.

I’m sure they would sell out in no time, and adding more fun and colorful cars to our streets can’t be a bad thing.