Snapshot
- RS range gets its first electric model
- Faster than R8 V10 Performance in boost mode
- First E-Tron to be made in Germany, others are built in Brussels
The 2022 Audi E-Tron GT has been announced in its Australian specification – set to start from $181,700 before on-road costs when it arrives here in September.
On top of the standard E-Tron GT’s arrival, the first electric RS model to come from Audi will also be launched in Australia, with the flagship RS E-Tron GT flexing its muscles as the marque’s most powerful road-going car yet.
Built on the same production line as the R8 in Neckarsulm, Germany, the process of creating the latest addition to the E-Tron fleet is entirely net carbon-neutral.
Pricing
The Audi E-Tron GT will come to Australia in two variants – the entry-level GT and the range-topping RS E-Tron GT, although local buyers miss out on the Carbon Black highlights edition available in European markets.
Priced from $181,700, the GT will be $13,000 more affordable than the Porsche Taycan 4S it shares the Volkswagen Group’s bespoke J1 platform with, while the RS is a whopping $26,600 less expensive than the Taycan Turbo.
| Variant | Price |
|---|---|
| E-Tron GT | $181,700 |
| RS E-Tron GT | $249,700 |
Features
The Audi E-Tron GT comes loaded with standard equipment in both grades, including:
| Combination leather interior; part leather, part Dinamica microfibre |
| Three-spoke leather steering wheel (plus heating in RS) |
| 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen |
| 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster using Audi Cockpit Plus |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
| Wireless Qi phone charging |
| DAB+ radio |
| Head-up display |
| 350L boot space |
| 14-way adjustable Sports Seats Plus (18-way Pro are optional) |
| Heated and ventilated seats (massage is optional) |
| Bang and Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System with 16 speakers |
| E-Tron Sport Sound |
| Three-zone climate control (with pre-conditioning) |
| 20-inch five-twin-spoke wheels (21 inch options available) |
| Ceramic brakes (carbon fibre ceramic optional) |
| Matrix LED headlights, LED rear lights, light sequencing and dynamic turn signal (Audi Laser Light optional) |
| Panoramic glass roof (carbon fibre-reinforced polymer roof optional) |
| Ambient lighting (30 colours, six colour profiles) |
| Adaptive air suspension |
| Rear axle differential lock |
Perhaps surprisingly, all nine exterior paint finishes are a no-cost option for both the GT and RS, with only Ascari blue and tactical green existing as RS-exclusive colours.
Options
As to be expected, Audi offers a large range of optional packages for the E-Tron GT, allowing prospective owners to customise their car for an extra premium.
Carbon and black exterior styling package – $17,500 (GT), $15,000 (RS)
| Front side air intakes, side sill trim and rear diffuser insert in carbon |
| Carbon roof (removes panoramic fixed glass sunroof) |
| Carbon exterior mirror caps |
| Black badge package; Audi rings front/rear and model badges in black |
| Black exterior styling package; grille surround, front spoiler, side sill trims and rear diffuser in high-gloss black (GT only) |
Dynamic plus package – $10,500 (GT only)
| e-Quattro sport differential with torque vectoring |
| All-wheel steering |
| Performance braking system with tungsten carbide coating |
| Red brake calipers |
Premium plus package – $6400 (GT only)
| 20-inch alloy wheels in 5-twin spoke offset design in black, diamond turned finish |
| Colour interior ambient lighting package |
| Privacy glass |
| Air quality package including ioniser |
| Door sill trims with illuminated aluminium inlay |
Dinamica interior package – $8000 (GT only)
| Sport plus front seats with 14-way adjustment inc. 4-way lumbar support |
| Electronically adjustable thigh support |
| Dinamica seat upholstery with leather appointed side bolsters and head restraints |
| Dinamica headlining in black |
| Centre console surround, door inserts and upper instrument panel (virtual cockpit) in Dinamica |
Sensory package – $8400 (RS only)
| Front seats with massage function |
| Heated outer rear seats |
| Air quality package with ioniser |
| Door sill trims with carbon inlay, illuminated with Audi Sport emblem |
| Dinamica headlining in black |
RS red/grey design package – $4550
| Steering wheel in Alcantara, black with stitching in express red or grey |
| Upper dashboard, centre console and door armrests in fine Nappa leather, black with stitching in express red or grey |
| Centre console surround, door inserts and upper instrument cowl in black Dinamica |
| Seatbelts for front and outer rear seats in black with red or grey edges |
| Floor mats in black with contrasting stitching in express red or grey and RS logo on front mats |
Drivetrain and performance
The E-Tron GT is one of the few offerings in Audi’s stable where its RS derivative is virtually identical to the regular models, both outside and under the skin, with each variant sharing the same bodywork and dual-motor drivetrain that features an automatic two-speed gearbox on the rear unit.
From the outside, the E-Tron GT’s four-door sedan body stretches 4989 millimetres long. Within that lies a 2900mm wheelbase, while it also measures 1964mm wide and 1414mm high. Unladen, the GT tips the scales at 2351kg, while the faster RS packs on another 71kg for a 2422kg result.
Starting with the base GT, the all-wheel drive model boasts 350kW of power and 630Nm of torque in its standard mode, with boost mode helping to develop an extra 40kW – sending it to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds. In both regular GT and RS guises, it relies on a 93.4kWh (85.7kWh) lithium-ion battery pack.
The first electric RS model from Audi can propel itself from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds, or 3.3 seconds in boost mode, to a top speed of 250km/h. It’s good for 440kW of power and 830Nm of torque, though again switching to boost mode ups the ante, pumping out 475kW – making it more powerful than the R8 V10 Performance (nee Plus).
It has three driving modes: comfort, efficiency and dynamic. In comfort the electric motors work together in a way that conserves the most energy, while efficiency prioritises front-wheel drive. In dynamic the character is more rear-heavy, and on slippery road surfaces, when high power is needed or in fast cornering more torque can be distributed to the rear wheels around five times faster than with a mechanical Quattro drivetrain.
Driving range and charging
The RS E-Tron GT can squeeze between 429 and 472 kilometres of driving range from the battery when tested on a Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) cycle.
At the moment, Audi says AC charging is set at 11kW and will take the battery from five per cent to 80 per cent charge in 9.5 hours.
Right now, a faster 270kW DC charging will slash that time again to just 22 minutes, identical to its Taycan Turbo stablemate.
The electric motors can also generate 0.3g under regenerative braking while recovering 265kW.
Energy consumption is rated at 23.6kWh/100km and 22.0kWh/100km for the GT and RS respectively.
Safety
The E-Tron GT comes with three safety assistance packages.
| Adaptive cruise assist (including adaptive cruise control with stop and go, distance indicator, traffic jam assist and lane guidance assist) |
| Active lane assist |
| Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB); up to 85 km/h for pedestrians, 250 km/h for vehicles |
| Rear collision pre-sense; seat belt pre-tensioning, automatic window/sunroof closing |
| Blind spot warning system |
| 360 degree cameras including kerb view function |
| Park assist |
| Intersection crossing assist |
| Collision avoidance assist |
| Cross traffic assist rear |
| Exit warning system |
| Light and rain sensor |
| Turn assist |
| Car finder with remote signal |
| Emergency call |
| Online roadside assistance |
| Acoustic vehicle alerting system |
| Attention assist |
| Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) with electronic wheel-selective torque control |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
| Anti-theft alarm system (RS only) |
Warranty and servicing
Like all Audi models registered since the start of 2022, the E-Tron GT has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with servicing intervals every 15,000km/12 months.
Owners are also treated to a number of six-year bonuses, ranging from a Chargefox subscription, Audi scheduled servicing and roadside assistance, all of which are complimentary for the first 72 months.
Availability
The 2022 Audi E-Tron GT is now on sale through the manufacturer’s dealer network.
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