Taycan technology

Audi e-tron GT: the most powerful of all Audis with updates!

(Bild: Audi)

After the Porsche Taycan, its Ingolstadt brother has now also been given a fresh makeover - and with a new super-powerful variant: the Audi RS e-tron GT performance delivers up to 925 hp with Launch Control. All variants of the electric sports saloon are now more powerful and have a significantly improved range.

With the now three model variants, the Ingolstadt-based company is focusing more strongly on differentiation: the e-tron GT comes closest to a classic sports saloon, even if the considerable power of the electric drive does not match the emotions emanating from a combustion engine. The RS GT is not only much more dynamic on paper, is almost 180 hp more powerful and offers more torque, but is also much sportier to drive in real life.

For those who still want to go one better, the new top-of-the-range RS GT Performance version has been added to the range. With its 925 hp and over 1000 Newton meters of torque, it can claim to be the most powerful production Audi ever built.

That's how powerful they are in everyday life - and when the oats sting
Without launch control and extra power delivery, the RS GT Performance delivers 550 kW/748 hp and the maximum torque is 1027 Newton meters. The basic S e-tron GT version delivers 435 kW/591 hp, while the standard RS has 500 kW/680 hp.

(Bild: Audi)

The two most powerful models also offer an extra: if you press the red button on the left-hand side of the steering wheel, you get an additional 70 kW/95 hp of extra power for 10 seconds, for example to enable you to overtake particularly quickly and safely on country roads. A clock in the cockpit counts down the time.

Will everything be all right now?
Although nobody in Ingolstadt really wants to admit it, the e-tron GT has been less popular with buyers in its first half of its life than hoped, not least because of its insufficient range, but also due to competition from within the Group from the Porsche Taycan, which was also recently redesigned.

(Bild: Audi)

The engineers have been working hard to catch up here. In addition to the more powerful engines, the increased range is particularly worth mentioning, which has risen by over 100 kilometers in all models to just over 600 kilometers, making the vehicle competitive in this discipline.

However, even the Ingolstadt-based company cannot eliminate the fundamental problem of all sporty e-cars: if the performance of the GT is fully utilized, the power supply of the battery, which has now grown by twelve percent to a net capacity of 97 kWh, melts as quickly as the VW Group's profit this year.

(Bild: Audi)

More power for charging too
The GT e-tron reports progress and improvements not only in terms of performance and range, but also in other areas. For example, in charging, where the maximum performance has increased from 280 to 320 kW and the battery can now be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes in the best case scenario thanks to 800-volt technology. The Audi does not require any preconditioning; instead, it displays the possible charging power in advance in the cockpit and then keeps the promise made there at the charging station.

The tried-and-tested all-wheel drive remains in all variants, but the air suspension has been newly developed. Despite the high driving dynamics and the large wheels measuring at least 20 inches, it offers a surprisingly high level of everyday comfort. This can be further enhanced with the new active suspension, which is available at extra cost.

The all-wheel steering with a significantly more direct ratio on the front axle than its predecessor also costs extra. Up to around 50 km/h, the rear wheels turn a maximum of 2.8 degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels, which increases maneuverability. From 80 km/h, the wheels turn in the same direction.

Prices for the GT (500 kW/679 PS) have risen sharply to at least 129,000 euros, the RS GT (630 kW/856 PS) now costs 150,300 euros and the RS GT Performance (680 kW/925 PS), a new addition to the range, costs from 164,200 euros.

The e-tron GT has made significant gains with its redesign. Not only have the power, torque, range and charging management been improved, but many other details have been tweaked in the right direction. Although the electric Audi has now become even more expensive, paradoxically it is now really worth the money.