• Two versions, both very fast
• More power on overboost
• Sporty synthesised noise

What power options are there?

There are two versions of the E-Tron GT – the standard Quattro and the faster RS E-Tron GT. The latter of the two has some eye-catching performance figures.

The RS’s 0-62mph time is 3.3 seconds compared with 4.1 seconds for the Quattro, but this drops with the overboost function enabled. That boosts power from 476 to 530hp (Quattro) and 530 to 646hp (RS) for 2.5 seconds at a time. However, under normal running conditions there’s not really that much between them and overboost becomes a little-used party trick.

More relevant really is how close this performance is to the Porsche Taycan, with which the E-Tron GT shares its backbone, 93kWh battery and motors. Despite this, the Audi manages to stand apart with a character all of its own.

It also make a different noise to the Porsche, although not enough to make us recommend one over the other. That’s down to  a pair of amplifiers in the boot that pipe noise into a speaker inside and outside the car, that are standard in the RS e-tron and available as an option for the E-Tron GT Quattro.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Big, heavy car, yet quite agile
• Weight is carried low down
• Air suspension very impressive

Like all electric cars it carries a significant proportion of its bulk low down and between the axles. This gives it a low centre of gravity, which is a great start for the handling department. As with most large luxury cars the ride comfort is a tale of two halves – air suspension for the top models compared with springs and dampers for the rest.

The air setup is firm but well-mannered around town and softer on B-roads. In the sportier RS version the ride is very neatly judged, comfortable enough on slow roads and even more stable as speeds increase. What’s really nice is that the Dynamic chassis mode doesn’t upset the comfort levels – it’s firmer and more composed when you want it to be, without giving away too much in terms of compliance.

It is quite a heavy car which ever way you cut it, and while there isn’t as much of a sense of that weight as you might expect, you do feel how hard the tyres are having to work when cornering quickly. Helping disguise that bulk in Vorsprung and RS models is a rear-wheel steering system, which makes the car feel both more stable and agile on the move.

For the most part this suits the car’s long-distance nature, as it feels very settled on the motorway and responsive on country roads. And, of course, there’s an impressive quietness in the cabin on the move. All E-Tron GTs excel in providing a serene environment, not only thanks to the slippery aerodynamic shape, but the ability of the suspension to isolate road defects to one side of the car, rather than transmitting it noisily around the car.

However, it’s not as much fun to drive as the sharper Taycan, and not as comfortable as luxury limos like the BMW i7. In other words, Audi’s work to soften the E-Tron GT has made it fall between two stools somewhat.