A Volkswagen ID.7 Variant Could Be Perfect as a Slap in the Tesla Model 3's Face, if Real

VW already has a few ID. models up for grabs. But, aside from the compact ID.4 crossover SUV, they are only available in a couple of prominent regions. For example, the ID.3 hatchback goes to Europe and China (plus others) but not also to North America. Concurrently, the ID. Buzz is only offered on the Old Continent and North America, while the ID.5 coupe-SUV is only for Europe, and the three-row ID.6 is exclusive to China. But enough with the segmentation – the VW ID.7 mid-size family sedan was unveiled simultaneously in China at Auto Shanghai 2023 along with Europe and the United States to signal its global aspirations.

And it was about time something like that happened, or we may have lost additional faith in the German carmaker's initially ambitious plans for the ID. series. They sure had to be adjusted on account of several significant issues. Still, hopefully, everything will be smooth sailing from now on – with 435 miles of EV range, as promised by the five-door liftback slated to compete with one of the most popular EVs in the world – Tesla's Model 3. After the latest round of pricing adjustments by Musk and Co., the latter is now starting at $39,990 in the United States with RWD and 272 miles of EPA-rated range. It sounds like an enormous difference – from 435 to 272 but remember that Tesla is set to unveil a Model 3 Long Range sometime this year, and the ID. 7's figure is just a promise according to the WLTP standard for now.

However, there is one way to ensure that Volkswagen can slap silly the best-selling Tesla Model 3. For years fans of Tesla EVs have been asking for a more diversified range of body styles – not just a couple of sedans and a duo of crossover SUVs but also other stuff, like a practical station wagon, for example. That would be all the vogue across several markets, such as Europe, frankly – and now Tesla has the capacity to fulfill local requests thanks to their Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg manufacturing facility. Alas, an estate variant of the Tesla Model 3 is still nowhere to be seen, at least in the real world. Meanwhile, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators has long envisioned the family-oriented Model 3, and they are already giving it some German competition in the guise of the Volkswagen ID.7 Variant.

And it is all courtesy of Theottle, the virtual artist who loves EVs like none other and just recently showed us digital stuff like the Mitsubishi Lancer EV based on the Renault Megane E-Tech, an MEB-based Ford Explorer pickup truck, or the Volvo EX60 and EX90 pickup trucks. Now he's focused on the new Volkswagen ID.7 and thought that maybe the ID. Space Vizzion is next in line for the reveal as the hypothetical ID.7 'Variant.' Knowing that Volkswagen's official designers love the opposite of hard styling work, he only subtly touched the ID.7 and grafted the concept's Tourer body on top of the five-door liftback. Now, hopefully, this will be close to production reality, as the design looks spot on thanks to the minimalist approach to the CGI modifications. If not, no worries; the VW designers will take care of it!