Audi finally lays E-Tron GT bare

AFTER months of teasing and information drip feeding, Audi AG has at last revealed its new E-Tron GT electric grand tourer with two versions set to be offered globally, both of which are due in Australia in the second half of this year.

Set to be offered in E-Tron GT quattro and RS E-Tron GT guises, Audi says the new electric four-door coupes reinterpret the ‘gran tourismo philosophy’ and have day-to-day usability at the forefront of their grand touring intentions.

That final point in Audi’s eyes is ultimately what separates the E-Tron GT from the Porsche Taycan despite the two models sharing a platform, architecture, running gear and basic silhouette with Porsche marketing its car as a four-door, all-electric sportscar.

As a result, the Audis ride on a completely different suspension set-up with other changes said to be found in the traction control system, torque distribution and steering, not to mention the front and rear designs.

Measuring in at 4990mm long, 1960mm wide and 1410mm tall, the E-Tron GT sports a 2900mm wheelbase and rides on aerodynamically optimised wheels ranging from 19-21-inches in diameter depending on the variant and optional extras.

Both the E-Tron GT quattro and RS E-Tron sport an electric motor on each axle which draw their power from a 93kWh lithium-ion battery stashed under the floor of the cabin – both versions utilise a two-speed transmission.

Peak power and torque in the E-Tron GT quattro is rated at 350kW/630Nm, resulting in a zero-to-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 245km/h.

The RS version meanwhile ups the ante to 440kW/830Nm, enough to compete with the most powerful internal-combustion Audi RS models.

0-100km/h is dealt with in 3.3 seconds while the top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Thanks to the sheer capacity of the battery and an R8-beating drag coefficient of 0.24, Audi says the E-Tron GT quattro will cover up to 487km on a single charge, with up to 100km of range able to be added after just five minutes when connected to a DC fast charger – the RS’ range is a claimed 472km.

Under the skin, the E-Tron GTs utilise a double wishbone suspension set-up with the quattro coming as standard with fixed damping and spring rates.

The RS meanwhile comes as standard with adaptive dampers (optional on quattro) and a three-chamber air sprung set-up which can either raise (+20mm) or lower (-22mm) the ride height depending on the driving situation while the dampers have four different settings – comfort, efficiency, dynamic and individual.

Four-wheel steering is also optionally available on both versions while a rear limited-slip differential is standard.

Braking duties come courtesy of steel discs on the quattro and tungsten carbide coated cast iron units on the RS however carbon ceramics are available as optional extras on both.

Befitting of an electric vehicle, the interior of the E-Tron GT has been developed and constructed with sustainability in mind, so much so that Audi says luxury has “changed”.

As a result, many of the upholstery options feature no animal products at all, instead relying on synthetic leathers, Diminica microfibre and recycled PET bottles.

Leather and Nappa leather comes as standard when the standard ‘sport seats’ or ‘sport seats pro’ are specified with the ‘sport seats plus’ being the eco-friendliest option.

Another sustainable feature fitted to both variants as standard is the Econyl (recycled nylon fibres from production waste, fabric and carpet remnants and old fishing nets) carpet and matching floormats.

While not a dedicated sportscar, the E-Tron GT still has sporting pretensions as every good grand tourer should and so its dashboard has been tailored in towards the driver with the Audi virtual cockpit seemingly standing by its lonesome to avoid distractions.

The display itself measures 12.3 inches in diameter and is complemented by the “floating” 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen.

Other standard equipment highlights include a flat-bottom multifunction steering wheel, MIB 3 infotainment system, satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, built-in Wifi hotspot, Audi connect, LED head-, tail- and daytime running lights as well as interior ambient lighting in the RS.

Local pricing and specifications of the E-Tron GT range are yet to be detailed for Australia however Audi has revealed some of the global safety systems, including Audi pre-sense front and Audi pre-sense basic safety systems, lane departure warning and cruise control system with most other features included in the ‘Tour’, ‘City’ and ‘Park’ packages depending on customer preferences and priorities.

According to Audi board member for sales and marketing Hildegard Wortmann, the E-Tron GT marks the beginning of a new era for the brand.

“Our aim is to shape the future of electric premium mobility,” she said.

“Love of detail, maximum precision, and design that points the way to the future show how much passion we at Audi put into designing and making vehicles.”

Audi sold 1455 new cars in Australia last month, up seven units on the 1448 it sold last January with its biggest sellers being the Q3 (385) and Q5 (305) SUVs.