Audi RS E-Tron GT performance, dynamic tuning teased

The Audi E-Tron GT electric car is expected to be fast and luxurious, as befits Volkswagen\'s luxury subsidiary, but with a little help from Audi Sport engineers, the RS-tuned variant will take that formula even further.

Just how much further? Audi says to expect 640-plus horsepower, more than 610 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-62 time under 3.5 seconds. That may not seem earth-shattering by modern performance standards, especially for an EV, but Germany\'s finest have shown us time and time again that they\'re willing to sandbag if it means delivering a performance machine with repeatable, consistent performance figures. 

\"The suspension of the Audi RS e-tron GT prototype combines controlled damping, air suspension, and all-wheel steering,\" Audi said in its brief. \"Large brakes provide powerful deceleration. Four heating and coolant circuits regulate the temperature in the interior and the high-voltage components. The result is high power output on the road and high performance with fast charging.\"

The E-Tron GT\'s all-wheel steering will allow up to 3 degrees of rear counter-steer up to about 30 mph, allowing for tighter city and parking lot maneuverability, at which point the system transitions to steering the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, improving high-speed responsiveness without sacrificing stability.

Like most fast Audis, it should deliver a ton of performance without sacrificing too much in terms of ride quality, and while the E-Tron GT shares a lot with the Porsche Taycan, Audi says its take will be unique beyond mere styling tweaks. In other words, it should be tuned a little softer than the equivalent Taycan and offer a more feature-rich, luxurious interior that makes for a better-rounded daily experience, even with performance that verges on its edgier cousin. 

While the E-Tron GT will be Audi\'s halo electric car, we expect to see more electrified performance cars from Audi in the coming years, with an emphasis on plug-in hybrid cars that leverage larger batteries as performance enhancers, rather than mere efficiency enablers.