Now, Audi is considered a major player in the world of performance cars and almost every modern performance car uses all-wheel drive. All thanks to the Ur Quattro. Audi is hoping that the new e-tron GT could have a similar effect, proving that electrification can not only be fast but also fun and exciting. This new video from Autocar brings both the Audi Ur Quattro and e-tron GT together, to compare both the legend and the future of the brand.

The Audi Ur Quattro and e-tron GT Quattro couldn’t be more different, despite both having “Quattro” in their names. The original car is a small two-door hatchback with a 2.1 liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine up front, a five-speed manual, and a mechanical all-wheel drive system with a locking differential. While the Audi e-tron GT is a four-door sedan with two electric motors; one at each axle, and a big battery pack in its floor. And yet, they’re designed to do very similar things; go down a twisty road, regardless of weather conditions, very quickly.

After driving both cars, the old and the new, are there any similarities? We know there are going to be countless differences, as they’re two completely different machines from two distant eras. But could there be any familial similarities between the two Audi performance cars? Autocar finds out in this new video and it’s well worth watching if you’re an Audi enthusiast. Both the Audi Ur Quattro and e-tron GT are pivotal cars in the brand’s history. Will the e-tron GT have the same impact as its legendary predecessor? We won’t know for some time but that’s the idea.

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Regardless of trim level, all 2022 Audi E-Tron GTs will benefit from three years of free charging through Electrify America, enabling owners to “fill up” the battery at a charging speed of up to 270 kW. That translates to around 180 miles of range in approximately 22 minutes by using one of the 800 charging stations with 3,500 chargers that will be available in the US by the end of this year.

Using the Electrify America network means E-Tron GT customers will take advantage of the electric sedan’s maximum charging speed. Audi claims its version of the Porsche Taycan is among the quickest-charging EVs in the world when it comes to charging from 5% to 80%. The Ingolstadt-based marque is also making it easier to charge the car at home by offering a NEMA 14-50 power outlet upgrade or Electrify America’s HomeStation.

The first option uses the E-Tron GT’s standard 9.6 kW AC capsule charger and has plugs for both a standard 120-volt household outlet (1.2 kW) and a quicker 240-volt NEMA 14-50 outlet (9.6 kW). The second option benefits from Wi-Fi connectivity and provides a charging power of 9.6 kW. In both cases, the home charger installation is provided by Qmerit.

As a refresher, the 2022 Audi E-Tron GT relies on a 93.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and features a dual-motor setup to enable Quattro AWD. With the battery fully charged, the base model has a range of 238 miles while the RS can cover 232 miles before running out of juice.

The lesser ones make do with 469 horsepower (350 kilowatts) and 464 pound-feet (630 Newton-meters), while the range-topping RS ups the power ante to 590 hp (440 kW) and 612 lb-ft (830 Nm). Turn on overboost and the horsepower count temporarily increases to 637 hp in the case of the RS.

The E-Tron GT joins the E-Tron / E-Tron Sportback SUVs in Audi of America’s electric lineup, which will further grow before the end of 2021 with the arrival of the Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron.

Source: Audi

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At the front, there are matrix LED headlights offered as standard equipment on the high-performance RS E-Tron GT and as optional equipment on the base E-Tron GT Quattro model. Both flavors of the zero-emissions sedan can be had at an additional cost with matrix LED headlights equipped with laser light technology to effectively double the range of the high beam.

The sleek rear end accommodates a swanky LED light bar that features sequential light animations provided the E-Tron GT is equipped with laser headlights. Overall, it’s a great-looking car by combining the roofline of a coupe with the practicality of a four-door sedan with a decent-sized trunk. There are charging ports on both front fenders for ease of access, while the concept’s tiny mirrors have made way for a larger piece of glass. In addition, the transition to a production model has also brought traditional door handles.

If you’re wondering about its size, the first Audi EV with a flat-floor architecture is 4.99 meters (16.4 feet) long, 1.96 meters (6.4 feet) wide, and only 1.41 meters (4.6 feet) tall, while the cargo area offers a capacity of 405 liters (14.3 cubic feet) with the rear seats in place. Unsurprisingly, these measurements are in line with those of the Taycan as both sit on the same J1 platform.

As far as the interior is concerned, it’s not as screen-heavy as the Porsche’s. There’s no optional display on the passenger side of the dashboard while the lower section of the center console doesn’t feature a massive vertical screen. Instead, the E-Tron GT has traditional controls for the climate settings, along with a conventional screen bar seen on other Audi models that have yet to switch to a touchscreen for the HVAC settings.

The digital instrument cluster measures the familiar 12.3-inch diagonal and is joined by the MMI Touch infotainment system stretching at 10.1 inches. An optional head-up display will be available, and so will be a high-end Bang & Olufsen sound system with 16 loudspeakers and 710 watts of power.

Let’s talk technical specifications. Feeding the drivetrain is a lithium-ion battery pack with a net energy capacity of 86 kWh. It has enough juice to enable the regular Audi E-Tron GT Quattro to cover an estimated range of up to 488 kilometers (298.3 miles) in the WLTP cycle. Once you run out of energy, an 11kW AC recharge will take the whole night, while the optional 22 kW charger will be launched shortly after the car’s market debut.

With a peak charging capacity of 270 kW, owners will be able to obtain 62 miles (100 kilometers) of range in a little over five minutes. “Under ideal conditions,” Audi claims that charging from 5 percent to 80 percent is done in less than 23 minutes. Both front fenders incorporate alternating current (AC) charging ports, but only the right-hand side also features a connection for direct current (DC).

When it comes to power, the standard model has a front electric motor with 238 hp (175 kW) and a more powerful rear electric motor with 435 hp (320 kW). The combined output is “only” 476 hp (350 kW) because Audi wants the electric motors to “keep reserves available for extreme driving situations.” Activate boost mode and launch control and the power jumps to 530 hp (390 kW) for two and a half seconds. As for torque, there’s an instant 630 Nm (465 lb-ft) at the driver’s disposal.

Step up to the hotter RS derivative and the power of the rear electric motor increases to 456 hp (335 kW) while the front motor’s output stays the same, at 238 hp (175 kW). The flagship E-Tron GT has a total output of 598 hp (440 kW) and a mountain-moving 830 Nm (612 lb-ft). Turn on boost mode and total output temporarily increases to a staggering 646 hp (475 kW).

Both the standard and RS versions come with Quattro all-wheel drive, with an efficiency mode prioritizing a front-wheel-drive layout. Torque distribution is done automatically within a few thousandths of a second and there’s optional all-wheel steering for increased agility. When configured with AWS, the rear wheels turn by up to 2.8 degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels at speeds of up to 31 mph (50 km/h) and in the same direction at higher speeds.

Going on sale in the United States this summer, the 2022 Audi E-Tron GT will carry a starting price of $99,900 for the Premium Plus trim. The mid-range Prestige will retail for $107,100 while the flagship RS is going to set you back $139,900. All prices exclude the destination and delivery charges and the federal tax incentive of up to $7,500.

The Taycan recently got a new entry-level, rear-wheel-drive model with a single electric motor for a starting price of just under $80,000. We’re hoping there will be an Audi equivalent further down the line, one that logic tells us would undercut the Porsche.

Attached below are images of the non-RS model.

Source: Audi

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Available as an optional feature, the lightweight roof is featured here in a new teaser episode in the lead up to the world premiere of the exciting EV scheduled for Tuesday. Other than shaving off some fat, the carbon roof will also lower the E-Tron GT’s center of gravity, which in theory should pay dividends in terms of handling and grip.

Technical specifications about Audi’s first EV to utilize a flat-floor architecture have not been provided, but we’re expecting the zero-emissions sedan to weigh just about as much as its sister model – the Porsche Taycan. In other words, the E-Tron GT could certainly lose a few pounds seeing as how its counterpart from Zuffenhausen tips the scales at a hefty 4,566 pounds (2,071 kilograms).

Mind you, this weight only applies to the Taycan in its lightest form, specifically the entry-level version with a single motor, rear-wheel-drive layout before any optional equipment. Step up to the range-topping Turbo S with its dual-motor AWD setup and the weight rises to 5,101 lbs (2,313 kg). The Audi E-Tron GT is unlikely to stray away too much from these numbers, and while that carbon fiber roof won’t dramatically lower the sedan’s weight, any kind of diet is appreciated.

There’s a pretty good chance the list of optional equipment will be quite extensive, and the carbon fiber roof will be among the priciest of the bunch. Interestingly, Porsche doesn’t offer a CF roof for the Taycan, which can be had with either the standard aluminum top or a fixed panoramic glass roof.

We will have all the details about the Audi E-Tron GT and its lightweight roof on February 9 when the electric sedan will finally be revealed in full.

Source: Audi

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Audi’s most powerful electric car ever is being put together at the Böllinger Höfe factory where the naturally aspirated R8 supercar has been in production since 2014. The new two-minute clip reinforces our impression the E-Tron GT will look nearly the same as the namesake concept car unveiled in November 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Produced in a carbon-neutral environment at the Neckarsulm site, the E-Tron GT will spawn a high-performance RS version in the same vein as the higher-specification Taycan models. Unlike all of the other E-Tron offerings from Audi, the GT is the first vehicle to be developed from the ground up as an EV.

Full technical specifications have not been disclosed, but we’re expecting they’ll closely mirror those of the Taycan. That being said, the E-Tron GT will be more affordable than its cousin from Zuffenhausen, therefore it’s unlikely to pack the same punch. Nevertheless, it should be enough to give Tesla and other EV manufacturers some healthy competition.

From the little specs released by Audi, we know the 2022 E-Tron GT will have Quattro all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and all-wheel steering. Expect dual electric motors and a liquid-cooled 83.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, while a two-speed rear transmission is also planned. From what we’re hearing, the flagship RS will have an estimated 590 horsepower with a temporary 637-hp output when launch control is activated.

The crown jewel of the E-Tron GT range will reportedly take an estimated three seconds to hit 60 mph from a standstill and top out at an electronically capped 155 mph. As for the entry-level trim, it’s said to have 510 horsepower or a little bit less than the Porsche Taycan 4S, but that’s to be expected given the positioning of the two brands in the Volkswagen Group.

With production already underway, Audi will open the order books shortly after the E-Tron GT’s big debut next week and it probably won’t take too long before customer deliveries will commence. The electric sedan has been subjected to a lengthy teaser campaign, which goes to show how important the zero-emissions gran tourer is for the company.

Source: Audi

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We also get to see a reflection of the E-Tron GT’s rear end, further confirming it will remain visually faithful to the concept car before it. When the showcar debuted in LA, Lichte said it was the most beautiful car designed by him, and now, he claims the Porsche Taycan’s sister model will be a design icon for Audi.

The E-Tron GT is important not only for being the first Audi electric sedan, but also the first RS model to eschew the combustion engine. Yes, a full-blown RS variant developed by Audi Sport has already been officially confirmed and will have up to 637 horsepower from dual motors enabling an AWD layout. The range-topping variant is getting a lithium-ion 83.7-kWh battery pack, rear-wheel steering, air suspension, torque-vectoring rear end, and a two-speed rear transmission.

It goes without saying the E-Tron GT lineup will effectively mirror that of its sister car, the Porsche Taycan. Expect the Audi to be more affordable than the equivalent from Zuffenhausen, which recently gained a new entry-level model with a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive setup priced just under $80,000. The flagship RS is unlikely to match the sportiness of the Taycan Turbo S, but that’s the point of the Audi model as it must not overlap with its Porsche counterpart.

You’ll be surprised to hear Audi has already kicked off series production of the E-Tron GT well before the official premiere. In fact, the electric gran tourer hit the assembly line in December 2020 at the Neckarsulm factory where it’s built alongside the naturally aspirated R8 supercar. The German premium brand will begin accepting orders this spring, with customer deliveries kicking off later this year.

There’s a rumor from Auto Bild suggesting a wagon version is planned, presumably molded after the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo coming later this year. It would be interesting to see an E-Tron Avant as a viable alternative to the company’s crop of electric SUVs, but nothing is official at this point.

Source: Porsche

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Teasers from automakers usually consist of photos and videos with the brightness turned down to hide the design details. Some companies prefer to publish sketches to give a vague idea about the styling, while other teasers focus on a specific part of the car. Audi has thought of a new neat way to get us all excited about the impending arrival of the E-Tron GT.

In a video explaining how virtual reality has helped the Ingolstadt brand get the hotly anticipated EV ready for production, we get to see the production-ready model in VR. The Four Rings have already promised the final design would be nearly the same as the namesake concept from 2018, and the adjacent teaser image confirms it will be virtually (pun intended) the same.

Already in series production at the Audi Böllinger Höfe at the Neckarsulm site alongside the R8 supercar, the E-Tron GT is the firm’s very first car for which production was planned without actually building physical prototypes. It was all possible by making 3D building scans and by using machine learning process together with virtual reality.

Interestingly, Audi used the same VR technique to prepare for the production of the Q5 facelift and Q5 Sportback. It’s not a temporary phase forced by the coronavirus pandemic as the techniques will continue to be implemented even when things will get back to normal. Why? Because it brings multiple advantages.

Without having to build physical prototypes, it saves the company not only time but also resources. Physical prototypes have to be transported to various locations, therefore needing to be loaded onto universal load carriers and covered using a protective lining. Doing all the work in VR helps Audi reduce waste, not to mention cut down on the number of business trips.

We will see the end result of all the VR work needed to get the Audi E-Tron GT ready for production in only a couple of months as the world premiere is scheduled for sometime in February when the order books will be opened.

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We’ve already heard that an Audi RS e-tron GT is in the works, and it’s been confirmed to us by an Audi e-tron representative, but until now no specs had been released.

According to Auto Express, the Audi RS e-tron GT will get a similar powertrain setup to the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, which two electric motors at the back axle and one at the front. No word on whether or not it will get the same two-speed transmission as the Taycan but it will have a mega power output. AE says 0-60 mph will take around three seconds but we suspect sub-three seconds will be more likely.

The RS e-tron GT will also get a 95 kWh battery pack that should enable it to get about 250 miles of all-electric range. While that’s not anywhere near as much as something like the Tesla Model S P100D, it’s certainly good enough for a car with 700 horsepower and a repeatable three-second (or quicker) 0-60 mph time. To make up for its pedestrian battery range, the RS e-tron GT is said to have up to 270 kW charging, which would allow it to recharged at an absurdly rapid rate, if you can find a charging station capable of that speed.

When it goes on sale, the Audi RS e-tron GT is expected to be around $144,000 (£120,000), with the standard models starting somewhere around $100,000 (£80,000).

That’s a competitive price for a car of its performance and luxury, though there are higher range electric performance cars in its price point. Both the Lucid Air Dream and Tesla Model S Cheetah Sprinter Monster Pterodactyl are both just as fast but have more range at around the same price. If the Audi RS e-tron GT is to stand out, it will do so with performance car handling and looks, as the Porsche Taycan does. However it turns out, we can’t wait to drive it.

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Typically, electric cars sound like laptops when running a processor-heavy program. Audi, though, wants the new e-tron GT to sound more thrilling more interesting than that. So it’s gotten to work on developing a specific noise for the Audi e-tron GT, to make sure that it’s as emotionally as exciting as it is to drive.

In this new video, we get to see part of the process behind developing this new noise. Audi looked at so many different noises, to see what sort of other sounds outside of internal combustion can bring back some of the excitement ICE engines make.

So Audi looked at turbines, fans and nature, to come up with a sound that’s both powerful and sophisticated. It needed something that would give drivers a real idea of just how fast they’re going, even when the drivetrain is all-electric. Considering that noise is half experience of driving pleasure, this new noise is going to be extremely important.

Thankfully, drivers will get to choose how they use the sound. There will be settings that control when it’s used and how much of it they hear. For instance, it can be tied to the drive select mode, to become sportier as the modes do, and the volume of it can be changed as well. So there will be flexibility in its usage.

Check out this video to see how it was made and what it will be like.

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Like all electric vehicles, the Audi e-tron GT makes an audible sound as it drives by, which is mandatory with all electric cars. However, the e-tron GT takes it to a different level. Not only does it make a unique and interesting noise on the outside, it also makes a unique noise on the inside.

Audi engineers worked hard to come up with a sound that captured the excitement of acceleration that’s typically lacking in electric cars. To do so, they replicated the sounds of helicopters, as well as turbines in wind tunnels. So they took a small drone and flew it near microphones, while also blowing a small fan into a metal tube, also in front of a mic. And those are just a few of the sounds captured to help create a distinct, futuristic and emotional noise.

The sound is also variable and can change based on several different variables. For instance, accelerator position, speed and drive select. So, from inside the car, the idea is that it will sound sporty and thrilling to accelerate hard, as the newly developed noise will adjust accordingly.

Audi also released info about the e-tron GT’s production. The new electric Audi will be built in the same plant as the Audi R8 and will actually use similar manufacturing techniques.

“With the integration of the Audi R8 and Audi e-tron GT, a unique combination of craftsmanship and smart factory technology is coming to life at Böllinger Höfe,” says Production Head Wolfgang Schanz in summary. “I am especially proud of the passion and spirit of our team.”

Now that these new teasers are coming, we can expect to see the actual Audi e-tron GT soon. We know it will be revealed in 2020 and we’ve heard December but it cold show up even earlier. Either way, we’ll be seeing the final product soon and we can’t wait.

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