Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT pricing announced

BY TONY O'KANE | 23rd Feb 2022

AUDI AUSTRALIA has announced the price tag and feature set for its all-electric halo model, the e-tron GT, with the all-wheel drive four-door performer arriving in September in two grades and significantly undercutting the retail sticker of their closest platform cousins, the Porsche Taycan 4S and Taycan Turbo.

Beginning at $181,700 plus on-road costs, the e-tron GT – which is built atop the same J1 EV architecture as the Porsche Taycan – produces a power output of 350kW (390kW in boost mode) and a stout 630Nm of torque, with that oomph coming from two motors and delivered to all four wheels.

With boost mode active, the “regular” e-tron GT is good for a 4.1-second sprint to 100km/h – just a tenth of a second behind the $205,300 (+ORCs) Porsche Taycan 4S that shares its powertrain.

The $249,700 (+ORCs) Audi RS e-tron GT also makes use of the same dual-motor all-wheel-drive hardware and 93kWh battery as the non-RS model, but turns up the wick to 440kW (475kW in boost) and 830Nm, running to 100km/h from a standstill in just 3.3 seconds – again, just a tenth of a second behind its Porsche equivalent the $279,000 (+ORCs) Taycan Turbo.

And while the Taycan is still the price leader with a $156,300 (+ORCs) retail sticker for the entry-grade, that model is rear-drive only with ‘just’ 300kW – it has no direct analogue in Audi’s e-tron family.

Rather, the e-tron GT range slots in just above the existing e-tron S and e-tron S Sportback pure electrics, which retail for $165,600 and $172,700 plus on-road costs respectively. With less than $10,000 separating the e-tron GT from the e-tron S Sportback, some Audi shoppers may find themselves tempted by the upsell to the brand’s latest – and greatest – electric vehicle.

Standard equipment will be generous, with the e-tron GT receiving 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive air suspension, Matrix LED headlamps with laser high-beam, a panoramic glass sunroof, a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system, head-up display, a 12.3-inch electronic instrument panel, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, wireless phone charging, tri-zone climate control and adaptive air suspension.

The front seats are electrically-adjustable and heated, the steering column adjusts electrically and leather upholstery is also standard.

On top of that, standard driver assist features adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, intersection assist, blind spot monitoring, collision detection, and a 360–degree parking camera view.

Six metallic paint colours and a single gloss colour are available on the e-tron GT, with all being no-cost options.

Stepping up into the RS nets not only the extra level of performance, but also some additional mechanical hardware in the form of all-wheel steering – which steers the rear wheels the same direction as the fronts to enhance high-speed stability, and in the opposite direction at low speed to improve manoeuvrability – a performance brake system with tungsten carbide coated rotors, 21-inch alloy wheels, your choice of six high-grade Nappa leather upholstery options, a heated and flat-bottomed steering wheel, ventilated front RS sports seats and carbon-fibre interior inlays.

For the RS e-tron GT, the exterior can be had in eight metallic colours, with Ascari Blue and Tactical Green being RS-exclusive hues.

While the e-tron GT can be had as a four-seater in overseas markets, all Australia-bound e-tron GTs and RS e-tron GTs will be equipped with a fifth seatbelt as standard – another critical difference with the Porsche Taycan, which is a four-seater by default with the ‘4+1’ seating option being a $1000 option.

Both cars receive a two-speed transaxle for the rear motor, allowing higher speed running (top speed is capped at 250km/h) while also integrating a torque vectoring capability on the rear axle.

Comfort, Efficiency and Dynamic drive modes allow the driver to switch the behaviour of the drivetrain, steering and suspension, with the Efficiency mode also lowering the air suspension’s ride height considerably to reduce aerodynamic drag at speed – something which is also aided by the golf ball-like dimples on the e-tron GT’s flat underbody tray.

The Audi e-tron GT uses an 800V electrical architecture to reduce the size of electrical components and boost charge times, with both the standard e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT able to fully charge to 100 per cent overnight on an 11kW home charger (which is supplied with the car but requires three-phase power).

If a 270kW fast charger can be found, both cars can go from five percent to 80 per cent in just 22.5 minutes.

Fully charged, maximum range on the WLTP standard comes in at 487km for the e-tron GT and 472km for the slightly heavier RS e-tron GT

In terms of after-sales care, Audi Australia offering for the e-tron GT is significant. The brand’s five-year standard factory warranty applies on the e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, as well as an eight-year/180,000km battery warranty and 12 year rust guarantee.

In addition, each car comes with six years of free public charging via a partnership with Chargefox, free installation of the supplied 11kW home charger (done by JETcharge), as well as complimentary scheduled servicing and roadside assistance for six years.

Built in Audi’s Neckarsulm assembly plant in Germany, which also happens to be the birthplace of all Audi R8s and the nerve centre of Audi Sport, the production of the e-tron GT is net carbon-neutral.

The e-tron’s light environmental footprint is something that Audi is keen to emphasise, with synthetic fabric options in some markets being made from recycled PET bottles and waste from the textile industry, while a ‘vegan’ synthetic leather upholstery is available in the Australian market as part of the Dinamica interior package.

E-trons specified with leather-free interiors also receive carpets and floormats woven from recovered fishnets and other industrial waste, helping keep plastics out of landfill and oceans.

On top of that, all e-tron owners in Australia who make use of the generous six-year Chargefox subscription will be juicing up their cars on 100 per cent renewable energy – sidestepping the popular critique that EVs pollute by proxy when using mains electricity to recharge.

2022 Audi e-tron GT pricing*: