Both the standard and Sportback versions of Audi's all-electric e-tron are set to gain sportier S variants as part of what the manufacturer has dubbed its ongoing "e-offensive". As you might expect, both cars are said to boast improved agility and sharpness over their cooking equivalents, with considerable boosts in power and performance to boot.
Where the regular e-tron uses two electric motors - 135kW front and 165kW rear - to develop its 408hp and 490lb ft of torque, the S-badged cars switch things up a little. They see that larger motor adapted to 150kW guise and moved to the forward axle, while two of the smaller motors can now be found at the rear, increasing their outputs substantially. The 95kWh lithium-ion battery, meanwhile, can be charged from 5 to 80 per cent in just half an hour.
Under regular driving, the foremost motor will kick in only when the car detects that grip or cornering conditions demand all-wheel drive or torque vectoring for safety. When S mode is activated, however, all three motors work full-time, delivering peaks of 504hp and 718lb ft of torque to see the e-tron S and e-tron Sportback S hit 62mph in just 4.5 seconds, a 0.9-second improvement on before. Return the cars to D and a more manageable, but still better than standard, 435hp and 596lb ft remain on tap.
In terms of handling, the S models' character is said to be "much more focused on the rear wheels and much more sporty in nature." With the ESC set to 'Sport' and the handling system in its most extreme 'Dynamic' mode, controlled drifts are even said to be possible. Though Audi insists that the cars' driving behaviour remains "predictable at all times", characterized by "an ultra-high level of safety and reliability."
Despite their grown-up billing, the e-tron S models both carry the more aggressive styling we've come to expect. That's not just for show, though, with 23mm-wider arches making room for beefed-up underpinnings, 400m brake discs with six-piston calipers, and 20-inch alloys as standard - optional items up to 22 inches also being available. Heavily contoured bumpers, a full-width diffuser, larger air curtains and optional digital Matrix LED headlights - a world first in mass production - complete the look. Inside, swathes of dark leather and Alcantara cover the electrically adjustable sport seats, gear selector and wheel in typical S fashion.
There's no word on pricing or timeframe for either of the esses just yet, but the car shown and described by Audi here certainly doesn't seem far from being production-ready. With performance figures as hefty as those attached to the S, all that's left is to wonder is what exactly the manufacturer has in store for its first RS EV...
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