The Audi e-tron GT has finally been unveiled: Progress has never been so beautiful!

The cat is out of the bag, the Audi e-tron GT is unmasked. We saw the fully electric four-door coupé as a concept vehicle over and over again in the past, now the camouflage dress has finally fallen. And the wait was worth it!

We had to wait a long time for it, on February 9th Audi finally presented it to the world: The new Audi e-tron GT promises performance paired with maximum efficiency – and is set to usher in a new era. But will the electric sports car based on the Porsche Taycan do justice to the pressure? We were allowed to take a closer look at it in advance.

Audi e-tron GT: A sensibly unreasonable sports car

A sports car is pretty much one of the most unreasonable wishes – and that’s perhaps why it is so popular with many middle-aged men. The thing about the Porsche and the midlife crisis: a cliché that often applies. Then it doesn’t matter whether the car is efficient, quick-saving or suitable for everyday use. Low maintenance costs and lots of space? Secondary. But why should driving fun and sportiness exclude suitability for travel and everyday use? This is exactly what the automotive industry thought. And invented a new vehicle class with the type designation “Gran Turismo”, or GT for short. It was now possible to travel sportily with the family – there was only one problem left: the maintenance costs. Until now. Because Audi is presenting its new fully electric e-tron GT.

The travel-ready and sporty four-door coupé with a range of around 480 kilometers combines the best of two worlds: performance meets maximum efficiency. Both in the basic version, the Audi e-tron GT quattro , and in the Audi RS e-tron GT, the absolute top model. The importance of the electric Gran Turismo for the Audi brand is quickly explained in the words of Henrik Wenders, Head of Audi Brand: “The Audi e-tron GT is the spearhead of progress and the future beacon of the Audi brand.” With its emotional design, it shows the way into the future. Wenders even speaks of the beginning of a “new era of head start”. You can hardly build up a lot more pressure, the height of fall for the third e-mobile from Ingolstadt is enormous. Although the Ingolstadt-based company already has a sporty electric vehicle with a maximum system output of 370 kW, the e-tron S, the electric pioneer is an SUV. (Also interesting:

Audi uses Porsche for the substructure and the battery architecture

It is understandable that such an SUV made the start – after all, the many battery cells are easier to integrate into a vehicle that offers ample space at the top. With a sports car that is as flat as possible, however, things look different. Nevertheless, the Audi developers did not have to come up with a completely new battery architecture. You could use the sister model from the VW group, the Porsche Taycan . The basis of the Audi e-tron GT was given:a lithium-ion battery system that is located between the axles at the lowest point of the car and thus guarantees a center of gravity typical of sports cars. It comprises a total of 33 cell modules, has a gross capacity of 93.4 kWh and has a large recess in the rear area: the so-called foot garages. Important, because this is the only way to ensure that the rear seats can be installed deeper. Conversely, this means more space for the passengers in the rear despite the roofline falling early. Our first seat test confirms this. But on longer journeys we definitely prefer the seat behind the wheel. After all, just looking at the data sheet promises maximum driving pleasure.

Audi RS e-tron GT sprints to 100 km / h in 3.3 seconds

The Audi e-tron quattro GT is, as the name suggests, equipped with all-wheel drive, has a total output of 350 kW (476 hp equivalent) and accelerates in 4.1 seconds from zero to a hundred. The top speed is 245 km / h. This is topped by the RS model: the top speed is 250 km / h, the e-athlete can sprint to 100 km / h in 3.3 seconds and the output is 440 kW (598 hp) . If the driver uses the Launch Control boost, the performance of both models even increases for a few seconds. No Audi electric car has ever been faster, more powerful – and got further:The average range is 488 and 472 kilometers for the RS model.

Design has a significant share in these values, which follows the basic idea of efficiency. In other words: The car is not designed on the drawing board, but in close coordination with the results of the wind tunnel. Optimal air flow combined with a low drag coefficient mean longer ranges and are therefore much more of a focus when designing an electric car. Audi Head of Design Marc Lichte describes it as follows: “The new design language ensures a stronger flow and thus enables sophisticated aerodynamics. The form follows the function, aesthetics arise from efficiency.” Well, when efficient design looks this good: More of it! The Audi management team probably thought so too. Because despite the immense demands that the Audi e-tron GT has to meet, the design was hardly discussed: one of the first drafts already convinced everyone, they say.

The design of the Audi e-tron GT follows the basic idea of efficiency, but that does not mean that there is a boring e-sports car. One of the visual highlights is the striking rear with a strip of lights that extends across the entire width of the vehicle.

New electric sports car: Typically Audi – and yet completely different!

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However, it was important to the Lichte design team that the four-door coupé should still be recognizable as an Audi. This has also been achieved with the brand-typical single frame. At first glance, there could also be an A7, especially since the dimensions are almost the same. The e-tron GT is a little wider – and flatter, which is surprising given the built-in battery. But base or not: the superstructure defines the design and thus this Audi. What immediately catches the eye of the Audi e-tron GT is the distinctive broad-shouldered rear end with a strip of lights that extends across the entire width of the vehicle and captures the sloping roof, which is made entirely of heat-insulating glass as standard.

Typically GT, Audi installs a sloping roof in the fully electric sports car, which is made of heat-insulating glass as standard. The Ingolstadt-based company also offers a carbon alternative for the RS model.

We were delighted to see that the silhouette of the car did not change when the trunk was opened. Because unlike the A7, the tailgate of the e-tron GT does not open upwards along with the rear window, the glass superstructure is not interrupted. The whole thing has one downer: the luggage compartment is smaller with 405 liters. A little little for a GT designed for longer journeys – if it weren’t for a second way to stow luggage: thanks to the lack of an internal combustion engine, another 81 liters fit under the hood. Where does the propulsion come from instead? From two electric machines that sit on the axles. To ensure that the 2.3-ton athlete comes to a stop in time, Audi has installed much larger brake discs.

In the Audi e-tron GT, you decide how far you go

And what would a sports car be without a spoiler? It goes without saying that the electric Gran Turismo also has a fold-out model perched on the end of the vehicle. This can be set in stages, so that the driver – in addition to their own driving style – can influence the range. Incidentally, this also changes by setting different height levels via “adaptive air suspension”: As soon as the air suspension (standard on the RS model) lowers the body, it improves the airflow and driving stability, and the lift continues to decrease. So it’s up to you how far you get.But if the charging station does call, the two electric motors can be charged via two flaps behind the front wheels. There are connections for alternating current on both sides, and on the right there is also a connection for direct current. The e-tron GT achieves a peak charging power of up to 270 kW on a sufficiently strong DC column. This means that it can recharge its batteries for distances of up to 100 kilometers in just over five minutes.

In the Audi e-tron GT, the driver and front passenger sit sportily low, separated from the striking center console. As an alternative to the large amount of leather in the interior, Audi also offers a completely leather-free design package.

The sporty design continues in the interior: the front door panels optically flow into the fender edges in a straight line, which means that the eyes automatically remain on the road. The driver and front passenger sit deep and sporty – and of course everything is technically up to date: We particularly like the interplay of touch controls and physical buttons – and that the Ingolstadt-based company has not (yet) installed any giant displays. Taking sustainability into account, Audi also offers a leather-free design package that uses recycled materials. The Audi e-tron GT: an all-round successful overall package! And how does it drive? We will report. Promised.

Key data and prices:

Audi e-tron GT quattro

Total output: 350 kW (476 hp)
Total torque: 630 Nm
0-100 km / h: 4.1 seconds
Top speed: 245 km / h
Range (WLTP): 488 km
Price: 99,800 euros

Audi RS e-tron GT

Total output: 440 kW (598 hp)
Total torque: 830 Nm
0-100 km / h: 3.3 seconds
Top speed: 250 km / h
Range (WLTP): 472 km
Price: 138,200 euros

The Audi e-tron GT has finally been unveiled: Progress has never been so beautiful!

Audi e-tron GT: A sensibly unreasonable sports car

Audi uses Porsche for the substructure and the battery architecture

Audi RS e-tron GT sprints to 100 km / h in 3.3 seconds

New electric sports car: Typically Audi – and yet completely different!

In the Audi e-tron GT, you decide how far you go

Key data and prices:

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