New electric sedan with 912 hp that competes with the Porsche Taycan
The hammering launch control in Audi’s new RS e-tron GT Performance makes the tires screech for a microsecond before unleashing an incredible onslaught of acceleration that builds to triple-digit speeds with ease. While tearing around mountain roads, the four-door sedan can also corner with the best sports cars in the world thanks to an impeccable new adaptive suspension system and signature Quattro all-wheel drive. The only indication of the mass of the Performance’s electric drivetrain comes when I slam on the brakes, which overwhelms the tires due to the weight of the battery and quickly sets off the vibration of ABS pulses.
The new Performance trim of the RS e-tron GT deserved a few rounds of hard canyon carving during my week-long loan, if only to explore the huge power jump from previous 637bhp (with overboost) to a new peak of 912bhp from dual electric motors. In fact, it is the most powerful Audi ever – and in the long term. The increased battery capacity, now up to 105 kilowatt hours, still provides a range of 448 miles despite the power gains. And yet, as with so many EVs, maintaining that range forced the Performance to tip the scales well above 5,000 pounds.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Performance is how well Audi camouflages that weight using a new dual-chamber, dual-valve adaptive air suspension system to deliver a strong sense of agility. Of course, the 912bhp output helps deliver the kind of brutal gut feel – really, at any speed – previously reserved for seven-figure supercars. To activate launch control off the line, you need to select RS Performance mode and then disable traction control completely. Push the brake pedal all the way to the floor and then the gas pedal, and for a few seconds the entire car seems to be crouched like a cheetah, waiting for a jump before unleashing that much power. Audi claims a 0-60 time of just 2.4 seconds, but by the seat of my pants the Performance felt even faster.
A serious set of massive carbon-ceramic brakes (optional as part of the Dynamic Plus package for $11,000) gets that speed down with ease, with barely perceptible modulation between 400 kilowatts of regen and more traditional friction braking. Even with the tires fully warmed up on a hot day, I found that the 420mm and 410mm front and rear rotors could easily overwhelm the traction of the EV-specific Pirelli P-Zero NFO Elect tires. A car with so much power, with such great handling despite so much weight, really deserves more performance tires – Michelin Pilot Sports seems well worth it.
Audi made sure the Performance trim prioritizes handling as much as straight-line starting and stopping, and the steering seems to have been borrowed directly from the RS e-tron GT’s Porsche Taycan sibling. So tuned and precise, with just enough resistance to cornering from the thin-rimmed ‘squircle’ steering wheel, which predictably firms up in more aggressive modes. I strongly suspect that the lessons learned from this car may have filtered down to lower-spec models, including the recently unveiled A5 and Q5, which improved significantly over the generally lightweight and numb steering of previous Audis.
There’s no ‘Catch-22’ here either: the sheer pace and skill of driving never get in the way of a smooth and luxurious ride. Like other Audis, especially its electrical systems, this incredibly powerful sedan glides over rough roads and absorbs more bumps with aplomb, while no wind or tire noise, not a creak or rattle, invades the serene cockpit. The new suspension makes a huge difference and increases the Performance’s ability to float along in Comfort mode or firm up the body with one of the three selected RS modes.
Even rolling down the windows makes minimal noise, and amid the quiet reverie, turning up the Bowers & Wilkins sound system reveals such crisp highs and deep bass that even familiar songs on my usual playlists started to sound brand new again. However, I always turned down the fake powertrain noises and activated those powerful seat massagers to go into full EV bliss mode.
Speaking of convenience, that suspension also enables the ‘Elevated entry’ mode, which inflates the car a few inches to make getting in and out a little easier for taller drivers. But that does highlight the e-tron GT’s biggest problem: a notable lack of space in the compact interior, despite the car’s large exterior space. With my height of 1.80 meters, I fit perfectly in the front seat. But where other carmakers optimize skateboard battery layouts to create more luxurious cabin configurations, the Porsche-Audi siblings don’t – just a large trunk for weekend luggage or golf clubs seems appropriate, but don’t expect much in the way of rear-seat headroom or legroom here.
Likewise, it’s strange that a raised entry can almost instantly raise the entire car by up to 42 millimeters (1.65 inches), but Audi still decided not to raise the front axle. The nose of the RS e-tron GT Performance will therefore scrape on moderate ramps and downhill descents, even with the most elevated suspension. Fortunately, the liberal use of carbon fiber trim doesn’t extend to a front splitter that could be damaged by the front axle’s lack of lift.
The 448-mile range also seemed legit, and more than enough for everyday life, if not quite ideal for long road trips. I never had to do more than a week of daily driving and canyon carving charging, although the inevitable urge to enjoy all that 912 horsepower with repeated romps on the accelerator drains the battery pretty quickly. I also never noticed any power reduction or overheating while tearing through the Malibu canyons on days that climbed into the high 80s, weather conditions that typically frustrate other powerful electrical systems. Additionally, the peak charging rate for the Performance increases to 320 kilowatts, which Audi says allows for a fast 10-80% charge in just 18 minutes.
I prefer the Audi design versus the smoother and less futuristic one Porsche Taycan, for everything but the rear (except the Taycan Cross Turismo wagon, anyway). And the interior is more typically Audi, with sculptural design elements from the door handles to the dashboard trim. A carbon fiber roof in place of panoramic glass helps keep the interior cooler – pun intended – but some of the forged carbon fiber trim perhaps goes a little overboard, abandoning the understated German aesthetic in favor of more striking bits on the mirrors, side sills, front and rear aero intakes, and especially the wide dashboard.
The Forged Carbon package on this press loan added $8,400 to an MSRP of $190,690, up from $167,000 to start. In addition to the wonder material, it also includes the 21-inch wheels, but probably matters less than the Dynamic Plus Package that adds the active suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes. In my opinion, the piano black plastic of the center console should also be made of carbon or at least brushed metal, as it gets dirty quickly and stands out because it looks much cheaper than the rest of the cockpit. And I’d spec my RS e-tron GT Performance in any color other than this Progressive Red Metallic paint, for an understated daily driver that can easily double as an absolute screamer when the time comes. A silent screamer, then.
Images: Michael Van Runkle
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