Updated: Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover spied in 'coupe' form

We've updated the gallery with a new set of high-resolution spy photos. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago we would have been covering the New York Auto Show, and we were expecting to see the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover. None of that happened because of the global pandemic, but we do have some interesting VW ID.4 news. On Wednesday, a fan of one of our spy photographers happened upon an ID.4 prototype and shared them with said photographer and us. It shows that the crossover will be getting a low-roof "coupe" variant. It was thinly disguised, too, with the most elaborate camouflage being some amusingly fake tail pipes.

The spy was able to catch up with the prototype on Thursday, supplying us with several new, higher-resolution photos that show off more of the coupe prototype's lines. 

The crossover has a similar size and proportion to the ID.4 prototypes we've seen at shows and in testing. It shares the same curvy bodywork, too. But the roof slopes downward from about the back of the rear doors all the way to the tail to give it the fastback roof that has proven so popular among luxury crossover buyers. It looks like rear headroom may not be particularly reduced compared to some other fastback crossovers, but luggage space certainly will. This example also features a natty little wing at the tip of the hatch for some more sporty flair. Overall, the crossover looks a bit bulbous to our eyes, but we suspect it will still sell.

Our spy photographer noted that this model could also carry the rumored "GTX" nomenclature, which is supposedly the electric version of GTI, with the X indicating a second front motor. We're not so sure, as this seems to share the same size wheels as the last prototype we saw testing, and so the only sporty feature is the aforementioned wing. Also, we're expecting all versions of the ID.4 to come with dual motors, since all-wheel drive is a key feature in the crossover market. In a base ID.4, we believe it will have a 101-horsepower motor up front and a 201-horsepower motor in the rear like in the concept. A GTX version would probably produce a bit more power, maybe with a duplicate 201-horsepower motor at the front. The standard ID.4 is expected to have an 83-kWh battery pack good for about 250 miles of range, too. Originally the ID.4 was planned for introduction late this year, but that's up in the air with the coronavirus crisis.

Additional reporting by Byron Hurd.