RS EXPRESS (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_audirsetrongt_2022

By Jonathan Crouch

The RS e-tron GT is the fastest ever Audi. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 75

Audi's RS e-tron GT takes its RS performance brand into a fresh, electrified era. Though the price is high and most of the core technology here is shared with this car's Porsche Taycan Turbo cousin, it's all been delivered with a distinctly Audi feel and character. Sixty is a blink of an eye away, yet you're in a planet-friendly EV. And it's all been delivered with a very Ingolstadt-style dose of that 'want one' factor.

Backgroundword count: 124

Once exclusively reserved for throbbing petrol powerplants, Audi's RS badge can now be found adorning a car with no fossil fuel addiction at all - this one, the RS e-tron GT. It's the fastest of Audi's two offered e-tron GT models and a direct Ingolstadt interpretation of this car's close cousin, the Porsche Taycan Turbo. Most of the same technology is inevitably shared between the two cars but this Audi has its own distinctive look and feel, which for many will set it apart. In real world terms, this is the fastest car the brand has ever made. It's also the flagship model in the company's growing e-tron EV range. Both are reasons, should you need them, to take this car very seriously indeed.

Driving Experienceword count: 211

Get ready for lots of numbers. The RS e-tron GT uses a 238PS front motor, with another at the back offering 456PS. You can't simply add those figures together to get its total output (because the two motors never reach power together). That total figure's actually quoted at 598PS - or, for a two second burst when you need acceleration, 646PS. Which, for reference, is 34PS less than this car's identically engineered development cousin, the Porsche Taycan Turbo. Assuming you're up for a few more figures, you'll want to know how fast this recipe makes this RS. Well, think 62mph in 3.3s. Which is pretty impressive for something weighing in at 2,347kg in kerb weight. Audi has differentiated this car from its Porsche cousin wherever it could, which in terms of drive dynamics means a different feel to the steering. All that weight gives it a different feel from other Audi RS models but because the mass is low and centrally placed, the car still corners with conviction. Whether there's enough of a real world performance advantage here to justify the considerable price premium over an ordinary e-tron GT quattro is another question. Various drive modes adjust steering weight - and of course ride comfort too, via the adaptive damping system.

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