The 2022 e-tron GT is Audi's latest electric creation; it's a sleek, stylish addition to Audi's already impressive lineup of cars.
Something to be known straight away is that the e-tron GT is built on the same assembly line as Audi's flagship supercar, the R8. The R8 is a full-blown mid-engine monster with a Lamborghini V10, and is one of the best daily drivable supercars money can buy. Building the e-tron in tandem with the R8 speaks to how serious Audi is about this car and who they see as the potential customer.
To get a better idea of how the e-tron fits into the Audi inventory, I wanted to get first impressions from a friend who daily drives an R8, so I invited Steve to tag along for the drive and photo shoot.
Before we set off from Audi of Nashville, Steve settled in and got familiar with the e-tron’s layout. He adjusted the drive mode into dynamic and set the suspension into its lowest setting, just like in his R8. At slow speeds, the e-tron emits twp different sounds to alert pedestrians. Forward is somewhere between a pur and a growl -- let's call it an aggressive pur. Reverse sounds like the “white noise” app when you have to sleep at your in-laws house.
As we aggressively purred away from Audi Nashville, my first impression was “this is all very normal." And it is. Aside from being very quiet, there’s really nothing unfamiliar about normal driving in the e-tron GT. It rides beautifully on its adaptive air suspension and the dual synchronous electric motors send power to all four wheels via the 93 kilowatt hour battery in a crisp and cool manner. At normal speeds around town, if it's not revealed, passengers probably wouldn’t know they’re in an electric car.
This approach Audi has taken is one of my favorite things about the Audi e-tron -- it's not an electric car with an Audi badge glued to the hood, it’s an Audi that has been electrified.
As we drove along, I asked Steve the only question I really wanted to ask him: “Does this feel like an Audi?” Without hesitation, he responded, “Yes. The interior is beautiful, it rides great and it feels familiar.”
Where it stands out from its gasoline and diesel stablemates is the power. Anyone who’s driven an electric performance car knows the power is ludicrous and the e-tron is no different. We were driving the GT, not the RS version. Probably 98% of people who step into the driver's seat of an e-tron GT will be sitting in the fastest car they’ve ever driven. With 522 Hp and 472 lb-ft of torque at your command, the e-tron will rocket to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Splurge for the GT’s big brother, the e-tron RS, and that’ll give you 637 Hp and deliver you to 60 mph in 3.1. Some tests have achieved sub 3 second times.
The e-trons chief rivals over at Tesla are even quicker in a straight line but there are two key things Tesla lacks: experience on a racetrack and a legacy of exquisite build quality. I noticed both of these things within the first few miles behind the wheel. The e-tron handles like a race car, not harsh and rigid, but balanced and precise. It inspires a huge amount of confidence right away. Second is the build quality, and trust me, the interior alone is worth the premium. Some are drawn to the Spartan interiors of the Tesla brand, but I don’t know anyone who likes their “trapper keeper” build quality standards.
Audi has built luxury cars for a very long time and that is immediately apparent; the e-tron is a beautiful place to be.
As we arrived back at Audi Nashville, with our test complete, we took another walk around the car to admire its looks. Steve says, “I might have to get one of these.”
If that’s how an R8 owner feels about the slower of the two e-trons, I can’t wait to try out the RS e-tron GT model.
Interior 8
Exterior Styling 6
Brakes 7
Acceleration 9
Handling: 8/10
Utility: 7/10
Safety: 9/10
Range: 5/10
Price: 5/10
Gotta Have One Factor: 6/10