The new RS e-tron GT Performance with 912 hp is Audi’s most powerful road car ever

Audi built its e-tron GT alongside the old R8 at its Bollinger Höfe factory, an association that apparently transplanted the DNA of this naturally aspirated supercar hero into the electric wünderbarge.

Of course, Audi doesn’t build the R8 anymore, so it’s now apparently relying on brute force to make a dent sports point home. Mainly because the new RS e-tron GT Performance – the green car in the images above – produces 912bhp and can go from 0-62mph in just 2.5s. Shocking. Positively…shocking.

This peak performance makes it the most powerful production road car Audi has ever produced and brings a number of new changes to its handsome, heavy four-door electric sedan.

Still handsome, of course, and still equipped with a pair of electric motors – one on the front axle, one on the rear – but now there are three variants of the e-tron GT koolade to sip from. The entry-level S e-tron GT with a frankly pitiful 670 hp, the RS e-tron GT with a healthier but still ridiculous 844 hp, and the flagship RS e-tron GT Performance with 912 electrified horses.

For the avoidance of doubt, we say this entirely in jest: the base S’s 670bhp is already a silly amount of power for this or any other universe that can go from 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 sav the RS drops to 2.8.

Fortunately, there are larger brakes on both RS cars and as an option for the S. These are tungsten carbide-coated discs, which sound technical and sufficient, but the calipers are also available in orange, because even near-1000-horsepower electric roller coasters need whimsy.

The engines are apparently 10kg lighter apiece over the old e-tron GT units – pulled from the PPE platform, if you’re into that sort of thing – while all three cars now get beefier driveshafts and a light recalibration. electronics that control the all-wheel drive system. Oh, and both RS cars have a boost button. Pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it.

The battery is also lighter, Audi somehow cut 9 kg from it [check notes] Load capacity 625 kg. Yes, you’re right: that’s all Caterham, which means the e-tron GT is a car that has another small car as its power source. It’s a bigger battery, offering 105kWh, and Audi has massively increased the maximum charging output to 320kW, as well as increased the energy available through recuperation to 400kW.

Audi RS e-tron GT

So under the right circumstances and when the Moon is retrograde, the e-tron GT can drop from 10-80 percent in 18 minutes. Indeed, in just 10 minutes of really fast charging, it will provide up to 174 miles of range back. Of course, there’s up to 380 miles on offer across the range, depending on the model, although Audi hasn’t yet specified which car will get what.

However, it has added more battery information to the on-board virtual cockpit, which now includes things like current battery temperature, fast charge forecast and pre-conditioning status.

Shall we talk about suspension? It is new, consisting of dual-chamber, dual-valve air suspension configurable across the normal range of modes, while active suspension is available as an option. The RS cars will get individual RS1 and RS2 modes, while the RS Performance car will get a specific… performance mode for working with the circuit. You can specify all-wheel drive if you want.

The e-tron also received subtle exterior tweaks: things like “embossed structures” on the grille and a new rear diffuser on the S, or functional “L-shaped blades” and an aerodynamic diffuser on the RS, or a carbon roof. and other “carbon camouflage” elements on RS Performance.

Across the range, there’s a different badge design, more colors, more wheels, redesigned seats (they’re still seat-y, don’t worry), new materials, an improved virtual cockpit, and the option of a panoramic roof.

Prices in Germany start from €126,000 for the S, rising to €147,500 for the RS and €160,500 for the RS Performance, but we won’t get specific UK prices and specs until later in August when it goes on sale. We do I know he probably doesn’t need R8’s help anymore.

Audi S e-tron GT