Car giant Volkswagen has launched a bold new offer for motorists that could boost the power of a vehicle for a monthly fee.
The German manufacturer said it would be offering an additional package for its popular ID.3 electric vehicle for motorists to unlock the full power of their vehicle.
The "optional power upgrade" will cost motorists £16.50 per month or £165 for a year's access to the power package. In comparison, the cheapest Netflix plan, which includes adverts, costs £5.99 per month.
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Motorists will also have the option to pay a lump sum of £649 for a lifetime subscription to the power upgrade.
Volkswagen is offering a monthly power upgrade subscription for its ID.3 electric car
|VOLKSWAGEN
Volkswagen said it wanted to offer customers a choice with the new bundle, noting that giving people the option to upgrade was "nothing new".
A VW spokesperson said: "Historically, many petrol and diesel vehicles have been offered with engines of the same size, but with the possibility of choosing one with more potency."
Drivers will be able to select the performance upgrade and see net power increase by 27bhp, while the maximum torque will rise from 265Nm to 310Nm, Auto Express reported.
However, the new performance bundle will not have an impact on the battery range of the vehicle, which stands between 240 and 369 miles.
Drivers will be able to purchase a lifetime power upgrade for £649
|VOLKSWAGEN
The Volkswagen ID.3 Pro and Pro S are listed as producing 201bhp, although the full potential of 228bhp can be reached with the additional cost.
When choosing an ID.3 Pro Essential, VW notes that the engine power is 150kW as standard, but can be hiked to 170kW by activating the "optional power upgrade" for a fee.
The VW spokesperson added: "These traditionally are higher up in the product range, with more specification and a higher list price.
"If customers wish to have an even sportier driving experience, they now have an option to do so, within the life of the vehicle, rather than committing from the outset with a higher initial purchase price.
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"The car is presented on the configurator with [201bhp], with the option made very clear to customers."
If the power upgrade is purchased as a lifetime offer, the increased performance will remain, even if they sell the car.
While the power upgrade option may seem unusual to motorists, a handful of car brands already offer additional upgrades.
Drivers can select the performance software upgrade for £860 when purchasing a Long Range Dual Motor Polestar 2 electric vehicle.
The Polestar 2 also offers a performance upgrade
| POLESTARThe upgrade will increase the combined certified power output from 310 kW to 350 kW (476 hp) and does not impact the car's energy consumption.
Motorists will also see an improvement in acceleration with the Polestar 2 going from a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds down to just 4.2 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz offers a similar subscription for its motorists in the United States, notably the Performance Acceleration upgrade of its EQE and EQS models.
The performance upgrades can deliver up to 1.0 second quicker acceleration from 0-60mph and increase the output of the electric Sedan and SUV models.