Audi e-tron GT quattro - Update

Audi's e-tron GT was released recently and should be appearing on pavement near you very soon. While they don't mention it anywhere, the e-tron GT appears to share a platform and some mechanicals with brother-company Porsche's Taycan sport EV. But Audi seems to have gotten the styling just about right with the e-tron GT and upcoming RS version (RS models are more performance oriented versions of Audi vehicles). The Taycan had some odd styling choices when I first saw it several years ago at an auto show, but it has been updated and the new Turismo (wagon-esque) version of the Taycan is striking. But Audi went with low and sleek in a four-door coupe design you could lust after. Audi seems to have become the design/styling powerhouse in the VW family of vehicles. Expect big power from the electric motors and quattro all-wheel drive, fast charging, and zero emissions. Standard features and options include Bang & Olefson premium audio, adjustable sport suspension, Audi laser lights, and much more. One odd thing that the e-tron GT shares with the Taycan is the two-speed differential. Most EVs don't have this feature or need it, but it seems to be a specific way to get higher top speeds for bragging rights and the Autobahn. Seems like additional items that would need servicing, which most EVs need little of (or no servicing) which is a high point of EV ownership. Also Audi has added a noise system with interior and exterior speakers to transmit sound because I guess driving a beautiful car isn't enough for the "look-at-me crowd." The Porsche Taycan's price can approach the mid six-figure range in top models, but the e-tron GT's pricing should hover around $100k making it a little more "affordable." The media release gets into the specifics (for Euro models) regarding charging rates, power output, etc. so check it out after the jump not to mention additional pics and an intro video. Enjoy. Update: Evidently there is an entry-level Taycan that is priced similarly to the "base" e-tron GT, but like many of these cars, few are sold without numerous upgrades.

Source: Audi - Media release, pics, and intro video after the "read more" jump

Media Release:

The full appeal of electric driving: the Audi e-tron GT quattro

With the e-tron GT quattro2, Audi is demonstrating just how exciting electric mobility can be. The four-door coupé combines emotive design with a powerful drive, dynamic handling, and a long range. The e-tron GT heralds a new era: It is the gran turismo of the future and a signature car for the brand with the Four Rings.

A new generation gran turismo: sportiness, convenience, and sustainability

It is an Audi such as the world has never seen before: With the e-tron GT2, the brand is demonstrating its plans for shaping an emotive and exciting future of mobility. Presales in Europe for the all-electric Gran Turismo kicked off in mid-February 2021 together with two models. The e-tron GT quattro2 is priced from EUR 99,800 in Germany. The RS e-tron GT3 is the brand’s new electric spearhead and listed at EUR 138,200. Both models are powerful, fast, and dynamic, and both have zero local emissions. The sum of these strengths adds up to a character that reinterprets the idea of the gran turismo.

Aesthetics arise from efficiency: the exterior design and aerodynamics

The exterior of the Audi e-tron GT2 is a dynamic work of art with balanced proportions – a long wheelbase and wide track, large wheels and a flat roofline. The four-door coupé is 4.99 meters (16.4 ft) long and 1.96 meters (6.4 ft) wide, but is just 1.41 meters (4.6 ft) high. This is made possible by recesses in the high-voltage battery: The front passengers can place their feet in them, which allows them to sit in a low yet comfortable position. Every detail of the exterior design is harmonious – from the headlights (available with Audi laser light as an option), the powerful quattro blisters, and the wheels, all the way to the large diffuser at the rear end. Customers can choose from nine paint colors and two styling packages. The roof is made of glass as standard, and of light carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) as an option.

Aesthetics arise from efficiency – the drag coefficient of the Audi e-tron GT2 is just 0.24. Active elements manage the aerodynamics. Two controllable inlets supply the front brakes and the thermal management with cooling air as required. The rear spoiler extends to two positions depending on the driving situation. The fully paneled underbody, which flows into a broad diffuser, and the aero blades with which some wheels are equipped complete the aerodynamics concept. The outer skin of the electric gran turismo is made entirely of aluminum. Parts made of hot-shaped steel form the rigid and impact-resistant backbone of the passenger compartment, with support from the aluminum housing of the high-voltage battery. The front and rear sections integrate large components made of cast aluminum and aluminum profiles. 

Spacious and elegant: the interior

In addition, the interior of the Audi e-tron GT quattro2 and RS e-tron GT3 offers the ambiance of a classic gran turismo. Separated by a wide center console, the driver and front passenger sit in a sporty and low position. The interior is airy, and the instrument panel is based on Audi’s “monoposto” design and so faces toward the driver. The luggage compartment in the rear has a volume of 405 liters (14.3 cu ft); the RS model with the standard Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System offers 350 liters (12.4 cu ft) of space. The storage compartment beneath the hood provides another 81 liters (2.9 cu ft) of volume.

The progressive elegance of the interior design emphasizes the character of the e-tron GT2. The third characteristic of the gran turismo, aside from sportiness and comfort, is sustainability. The floor carpet and floor mats are made of recycled material, such as old fishing nets, as standard. The sport seats plus with 14-way adjustment – the middle of the three seat variants – are available with two covers, both of which are also made largely from recycled polyester. Customers with exquisite taste can also opt for high-quality leather or inlays made of silk-matt carbon. Those who are looking for even more individual solutions can find them in the Audi exclusive range from Audi Sport GmbH.

Powerful: electric all-wheel drive and recuperation

With its two electric motors on the front and rear axles, the Audi e-tron GT2 is a sporty touring sports car with a confident motor variant. Depending on the model, it delivers an output of 350 kW (476 PS) or, as an RS version3, 440 kW (598 PS); in overboost, the e-tron GT quattro can even briefly deliver 390 kW (530 PS) and the RS e-tron GT 475 kW (646 PS). The total torque is 630 Nm (464.7 lb-ft) or 830 Nm (612.2 lb-ft). The RS model completes the standard sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.3 seconds. When the driver fully depresses the accelerator pedal from a standstill, the two-speed transmission on the rear axle engages first gear.

Thanks to its lightning-fast control operations, the electric all-wheel drive provides the e-tron GT with maximum dynamism, stability, and traction in any driving situation. When the driver releases the right-hand pedal, the gran turismo usually switches to coasting mode. While braking, the electric motors perform decelerations alone up to around 0.3 g, i.e. the vast majority of all everyday driving situations.

Powerful and progressive: the e-tron sport sound

The e-tron GT2 is a work of art in terms of not only technology and design but also acoustics – that is, if the customer also ordered the e-tron sport sound, which comes as standard with the RS model3. Two control units and amplifiers generate a separate interior and exterior sound which is output by two loudspeakers each outside and inside the vehicle. The e-tron sport sound has a high-quality and progressive sound, and the driver can activate it and modulate its amplitude via the Audi drive select system.

Fast charging and long ranges: the high-voltage battery

The maximum range up to 488 kilometers (303,2 mi) that the e-tron GT2 achieves is every bit as outstanding as its driving performance. Its high-voltage battery integrates 396 pouch cells with a flexible outer shell and provides a net capacity of 84 kWh (93 kWh gross). Its voltage level of 800 volts enables fast direct current (DC) charging with a maximum of 270 kW. Under ideal conditions, it takes only five minutes to charge for a distance of around 100 kilometers (62.1 mi). With the e-tron Charging Service, customers can charge with alternating and direct current at around 200,000 charging points in Europe using just a single card.

The thermal management of the e-tron GT2 consists of four cooling circuits and keeps the battery and drive components at their optimum temperature levels. When the driver sets a fast-charging station as the destination in the navigation system, the battery is already cooled or heated to a temperature at which it can be charged as quickly as possible on the way to the charging station. The standard heat pump reduces the loss of range that the electric climate control causes in winter in particular. The free myAudi app allows the owner of the e-tron GT** to monitor and control the charging processes and pre-entry climate control from their smartphone.

Simultaneously dynamic and relaxed: the suspension

The Audi e-tron GT2 suspension strikes a balance between dynamism and comfort. The installation position of the battery and the electric motor creates a low center of gravity and a balanced axle load distribution. The wheel suspensions are designed as a sporty wishbone construction, and almost all axle components – including the links and subframes – are made of lightweight aluminum.

Audi drive select, the driving dynamics system with four modes and controlled damping, comes as standard in every e-tron GT2. In the RS model3, the differential integrates an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that further improves agility and traction. The controlled three-chamber adaptive air suspension enables excellent ride comfort and a wide spread in terms of handling. The brake disks are coated with tungsten carbide, which further improves their already strong performance. All three features are available as an option for the e-tron GT quattro**.

Extremely lightweight and fade-resistant carbon fiber ceramic brakes are available as an alternative for both models. The all-wheel steering is another high-end option. At low speeds, it turns the rear wheels slightly in the opposite direction of the front wheels to increase agility and reduce the turning circle. At higher speeds, it increases handling stability by turning the wheels in the same direction. Wheels are available in sizes from 19 to 21 inches.

Fully connected: controls, infotainment, and assist systems

Like all Audi models, the e-tron GT2 is connected extensively. The displays and controls operate via the digital Audi virtual cockpit plus that is controlled via the multifunction steering wheel and via the central MMI touch display. The third control level is the natural language control, which also accesses the knowledge of the cloud. The MMI navigation plus brings the online services from Audi connect on board. One of these is the e-tron route planner, which calculates the charging stops such that the driver reaches their destination as quickly as possible. A head-up display, the Audi phone box, and the Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System (standard in the RS model3 ) are available as options.

The driver assist systems are subdivided into the Tour, City, and Park packages, which are combined in the assist system plus. The (remote) park assist plus maneuvers the e-tron GT into and out of a parking space at the push of a button. The driver can remain inside the car or get out beforehand – in this case, they start and supervise the parking maneuver via the myAudi app.

Craftsmanship meets smart factory: production

The e-tron GT2 is the first fully electric car from Audi to be built in Germany. It rolls off the line at Audi’s Böllinger Höfe at the Neckarsulm site. The small-series production at this site was expanded and converted for its new task, in the course of which the skilled craftsmanship of the previous facility has been supplemented by digital processes and smart technologies. The electric gran turismo is assembled on a shared assembly line with the R8 high-performance sports car. The entire production process is net carbon-neutral. It uses 100 percent eco-electricity, with a combined heat and power plant fired with biogas providing the necessary heat.

The equipment, data and prices specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.