GTX to account for 20pc of ID.Buzz sales

VOLKSWAGEN Australia says the newly released GTX variant of its all-electric ID.Buzz van range is expected to account for close to 25 per cent of total model sales, bringing the newcomer in line with the brand’s most formidable sporting sales favourite, the Golf GTI.

Locally, sporting variants of the Volkswagen Golf have maintained a one-in-four sales ratio for close to two decades (Golf GTI and R each sell 25 per cent of total Golf sales numbers), joining others like BMW M and Mercedes-AMG in framing Australian buyers as those with a penchant for performance.

Speaking with GoAuto at the launch of the ID.Buzz GTX in Port Macquarie this week, Volkswagen Australia director of commercial vehicles Nathan Johnson said he expects the variant to enjoy similar sales success to the Golf GTI.

“One-in-five would be a good estimate,” he said of the ID.Buzz GTX sales mix.

“And our understanding is, that based upon our allocation, we will be one of the top markets for GTX in the world.

“We have constant conversations with the factory about what we need from a volume perspective, and what we need from a production perspective.”

Although Volkswagen Australia’s move to delay the introduction of the ID.Buzz has seen sales off to a slow start, Mr Johnson said the move was necessary to ensure local customers received the latest technology the range could offer.

Arriving in dealerships in April this year, the wider ID.Buzz range launched with the latest vehicle control software and niceties like wireless Apple CarPlay, inclusions Mr Johnson said ensured Australian customers were in no way disadvantaged.

“We wanted to make sure that our customers have the best experience,” he added.

“One of the pieces of feedback that we received from the original launch was that it would have been nice to have wireless CarPlay, so we’ve made sure that before the customer receives their vehicle that it receives that update.”

In its first full month on sale, VFACTS figures showed the Volkswagen ID.Buzz recorded 75 unit sales, taking its year-to-date (YTD) figure to 96. Meanwhile, the ID.Buzz Cargo notched up 21 unit sales in the month of May, taking its YTD total to 89.

Based upon those figures, it is expected the ID.Buzz GTX variant will likely retail between 20 to 25 units per month.

“As the months progress, I think we’ll see stronger uptake of the ID.Buzz,” said Mr Johnson of the newcomer.

“Our above the line (advertising) campaign starts on the 22nd of June and it’s a great piece of content that will generate a real push in the market.”

The ID.Buzz GTX becomes the third ‘GTX’ entrant locally behind the ID.4 and ID.5, and according to Volkswagen Australia is now “the third performance family behind ‘GTI’ and ‘R’”.

Importantly, it is also the first sporting offer for Volkswagen’s commercial vehicles side, giving buyers an option the importer says fits “hand-in-hand with Australian tastes”.

Visit GoAuto again soon for our Australian launch review of the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX.