CES usually takes place in and amongst the glitz and glam of Las Vegas, and, although the launch of the e-tron GT was in the now predictable virtual atmosphere, the first sight of, arguably, Audi’s hottest model to date was enough to take our breath away.
There’s an RS edit of the e-tron GT too and Audi’s Formula E driver, Lucas di Grassi, was the man trusted to showcase everything the supercharged model has to offer, via the manufacturer’s promo video. The concept version of the car he was driving looked futuristic, elegant and exciting in one measure. If this what an EV future looks like, we’re all for it.
The design
Audi’s distinctive front grille has had a 2021 facelift, which gives it more gnarl and bite, there’s oversized e-tron logos on the front and rear and accentuated rear fenders. All in all, it’s a more precise design compared to the R8 or other more ‘in your face’ sports models.
On the launch video, Marc Lichte, head of Audi design, describes the e-tron GT as “by far the most attractive car I’ve ever designed.” And we can’t disagree with him.
There’s full-width brake lights, which don’t look to dissimilar from the RS7 Sportback and... no fake exhaust pipes, and that’s a big tick from us.
In terms of space, the e-tron GT is a low-sitting, low centre of gravity coupe but 405 litres of boot space coupled with 85 litres of space under the bonnet, where an engine would normally go, means this is practical too.
The power
But in terms of the meatier details, here’s what you need to know.
It’s got two electric motors to allow for all-wheel drive – this will be commonplace amongst sporty EVs at the top end of the market – and together, they’re producing 590 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque, enough to get you from 0-60mph in a shade over 3 seconds. If you keep your foot to the floor, you’ll eventually be able to climb to 155mph.
The range is around 290-300 miles depending on who’s talking, albeit that has not yet been ratified by independent testers and, because an 800V architecture means DC charging at up to 270kW is possible, you can get over 60 miles of charge in just five minutes if you can find somewhere with enough punch to power it.
The cost
To the price… If you’re one of the lucky ones thinking about making the e-tron GT your new car, it will set you back around £87,000 and will hit showrooms this spring, and make that £120,000 for the RS edit.
If that’s enough to whet the appetite, keep an eye for our review of the Audi e-tron Sportback which will be going live at the start of March.