New Audi e-tron GT on sale now
If the A6 e-tron isn't fast enough for an Audi exec EV, the new e-tron starts at almost 600hp
Good car, the Audi e-tron GT. Really good, in fact, sharing a lot of its fundamentals with the Taycan and boasting arguably a sharper look. Recently revised in line with its Porsche compatriot with new suspension, a lighter rear motor and faster charging, the new e-tron GT is now on sale in the UK.
£107,730 is the price of admission, that buying an S e-tron GT. Using the same 105kWh gross/97kWh net battery and dual motor setup as the rest of the range, it outputs 592hp (680hp on overboost) for 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and 152mph. More than enough for most, especially with 374 miles said to be possible also. Standard kit includes 20-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, a head-up display, Bang & Olufsen Premium 3D sound and 14-way electrically adjustable front seats. For almost £23k more (£130,630), a Vorsprung version gets bigger wheels, Matrix LED lights, four-wheel steering, carbon trim, night vision and the new active suspension. Don’t be surprised if it’s popular, despite the premium, given how many top-tier Audi Vorsprungs are already out there.
The RS e-tron GT is from £126,330, with 680hp or 856hp on overboost. That latter figure can shoot it to 62mph in 2.8 seconds, with a max range of 365 miles said to be possible. It gets 21s as standard, along with a rear axle differential lock, tungsten carbide coated brakes, an RS specific virtual cockpit, a pano roof and dark birch wood inlays, which sound very nice indeed. Carbon Black adds a lot of what you can probably guess, plus the RS Design package, red calipers and an Alcantara wheel, for £138,830. A £150k Carbon Vorsprung sits at the top of the RS e-tron GT range, again the only one to get the active suspension but also benefitting from cooled, massage front seats and acoustic glazing.
Finally, the modestly named RS e-tron GT performance. Not even fast enough for a capital ‘P’. It’s from £142,830, gets ceramic brakes as standard, and can launch control itself to 62mph in 2.5 seconds with a 925hp overboost. It’ll thump against its limiter (probably) at 155mph. Again there are Carbon Black (£155,330) and Carbon Vorsprung (£166,330) models in the range, bringing the same additional kit as in the standard RS e-tron GT.
First customer deliveries of the new RS e-tron GTs (presumably there’ll be no lesser models now, with the A6 around) are set to begin later in the summer. Perfect time to think about a lightly used bargain, perhaps, with the old 530hp standard car available from £45k and the RS from £60,000. Including, get this, a brand-new 24-plate RS Carbon Vorsprung for £85k. Yikes. The slightly older tech, yes, and with depreciation to follow, but that’s really quite the saving.
It was also better looking than the equivalent Porsche, I thought, aswell as being cheaper and better-equipped.
However, for me I underestimated it's compromises as a 4 door saloon.
I was (naively, in hindsight) expecting it to be more of a practical GT than it was. I should have spent more time with it before ordering it.
In reality, it was awkward to get in and out of, the rear doors felt about a metre wide when opening them in car parks, the seats were like church pews compared to my old 5 series and it was just a bit..........ostentatious for me.
It's a good car, no doubt. But I don't miss it.
The second reason was more important though. Audi service is with out doubt the worst I have ever experienced. Audi USA are very responsive but their dealer network is terrible. We have had so many recalls on my wife's Q3 and each time it has been painful. The last one I was loudly accused of being emotional and lying in their public area. I was neither and it was the service manager that was emotional. The final straw was when I was told it was not a dealer issue and they were no longer servicing the car. I just told them I bought the car off them and they were going to accept my lemon law request if they did not fix it. Audi USA stepped in and the dealer did the work to resolve the issue that I told them to do.
This is not an isolated example, I made the mistake of turning up at another dealer in my car to buy the Audi and was met with "Nice car" and then they openly tried to rip me off for $15k. A friend of mine has a very high spec A6 that has an issue from new. He has toured the East coast trying to get dealers to honor the warranty. All of them have just left the car sit for up to 2 months doing nothing to the car. This is because the service bulletin shows they need to remove the windscreen to fix the car. I showed my friend the bulletin and he relayed it to Audi who gave him $7k instead of fixing the car.
My experience with Porsche can not be more different. They bend over backwards to resolve situations. Several of us have Audis but will never be buying one again.
£85k must be the bargain of the century!! These were anything fromm £116k up to £134k just 12 months ago!!
i appreciate 95% of EV's are bought through a business with all the tax breaks etc but even my man maths cannot get that to work.
Yes a good looking car but not for me i will stay with the BMW 6 series
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