Bojan Vrbnjak
Among Golf II fans, it is almost like a blue Mauritius. Except it's more purple: the now legendary 'Fire and Ice' special model from 1990. At the meeting in Locarno, Switzerland, Volkswagen has now presented the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE model. The unique model was designed together with the fashion brand Bogner, as it used to be.
With the special 'Fire and Ice' model, Volkswagen presented an exclusive version of the Golf II in 1990, which was both sporty and comfortable. Its design was created in collaboration with fashion designer and film director Willy Bogner. With its extravagant appearance - dark purple with a pearl effect, alloy wheels, front spoiler and body extensions - and a powerful engine between 90 and 160 hp, the Golf Fire and Ice, especially the GTI version, quickly became a sought-after rarity.
It was a surprising success. A total of 16.700 units were sold. Only 10.000 units were originally planned. The idea for the new edition came from the employees of the technical development department. Similar to the Golf II Fire and Ice, designers from Volkswagen and Bogner worked together. Tom Becker, Director of BOGNER FIRE+ICE: "The special thing is that we were able to incorporate many of our original materials and accessories into the interior of the vehicle." And Andreas Mindt, Head of Design at Volkswagen adds: "With the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE model, we emphasize , how very emotional our sports top model is. Our design team had a lot of fun reinterpreting the iconic design from the 90s and evolving it further.”
The ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE model stands out mainly because of the exclusive three-layer paint with the effect of glass beads. The Electric Violet pearl effect color was developed specifically for this unique example and is a new interpretation of the Golf II Fire and Ice exterior paintwork. In addition to the dark blue base coat, the three-layer paint also contains special glass beads that create a special color effect and exceptional character. Depending on the intensity of the light, the color changes from dark blue to purple or even black. The Flaming Red anodized roof strip adds a sporty accent. The sides of the vehicle are dominated by foil with a geometric FIRE+ICE pattern in a transparent matte color. Also a special feature are the 21-inch wheels, which accentuate the look with a blue anodized color with a glossy twist. The original FIRE+ICE logo from the XNUMXs adorns the B-pillar and roof edge spoiler.
The interior is divided into two colors. While the accented Flaming Red ('FIRE') color dominates the seats and stitching on the driver's side and the rear seat, the seats and interior on the passenger side are characterized by Ice Blue ('ICE') design elements. The stainless steel gas pedals also have a dedicated play/pause button instead of the button known from the ID. the family has a special FIRE+ICE design. Accelerate with the 'FIRE' logo and brake by stepping on the 'ICE' logo. The upper dash and floor mats are also customized with a laser-engraved 'FIRE+ICE' pattern. Inspired by Bogner's FIRE+ICE collections, many colors, fabrics and elements were used. The seats are quilted and reflect the design of the current FIRE+ICE down jackets, including the iconic B zippers. Opening them on the seats reveals the original 1990s fabric underneath. Straps from bags from the FIRE+ICE collection were also used behind the front seats.
The FIRE+ICE version uses Volkswagen's most powerful electric motor to date, the ID.3 GTX Performance with a power of 240 kW (326 hp) and a maximum torque of 545 Nm. This electric motor accelerates to 100 km/h in just 5,7 seconds. The drive is electronically limited to 200 km/h. The GTX-specific suspension is also adapted to the high performance of the drive system, which is equipped with more powerful anti-roll bars and adaptive Sport DCC chassis control. Electricity is provided by a 79 kWh lithium-ion battery (net), which can be charged at up to 185 kW at DC fast charging stations. With this power, the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in about 26 minutes. The combined range according to the WLTP standard is up to 601 km.
