Order books for the new Volkswagen ID 7 GTX have opened in the UK, pricing the electric sports saloon at £61,980.

The ID 7 GTX shares its dual-motor powertrain with the Volkswagen ID Buzz GTX MPV, sending 335bhp through all four wheels. That’s an increase of 53bhp over the regular ID 7, giving it a 0-62mph time of 5.4sec – 1.1sec quicker than the 282bhp ID 7 Pro Match.

As well as the uplift in power, the GTX is marked out by the addition of extra daytime running lights in the front bumper, 20in alloy wheels and a wider range of paint options, including metallic red.

Inside, it gets a Harmon Kardon sound system as well as thicker-bolster seats with heating and ventilation.

The GTX is also available in Tourer estate form, increasing boot space from 532 litres to 605 litres and priced from £62,670.

Its additional weight means it hits 62mph 0.1sec later than the saloon, after 5.5sec.

The GTX uses the same 86kWh pack as the regular range-topping ID 7, yielding 366 miles of range in the saloon and 359 miles in the estate.

That’s down by some 70 miles compared with the regular single-motor saloon with the same battery.

Charging is possible at up to 200kW, allowing a 10-80% recharge in less than half an hour.

The GTX’s closest competitor is the new Tesla Model 3 Performance, which undercuts it at £59,990. The American saloon offers a reduced range of 328 miles but significantly greater performance, with its 460bhp dual-motor powertrain dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in 3.1sec.

Combustion-engined alternatives are few and far between. For example, the Audi S6 diesel saloon will do 0-62mph in 5.0sec but costs significantly more, at £73,015.