2021 Audi e-tron GT Spotted Testing at The Ring
Spy shots confirm the Audi e-tron GT will look virtually identical to the concept which debuted in 2018.
It’s no secret that Audi has been working on its own version of the Porsche Taycan, and now there are shots of the new electric sports sedan testing at Germany’s famous Nurburgring. The latest images come via our sister site Motor Authority, which ran the pics of the camouflaged development car running laps at the Green Hell late last week.
Under the skin, the e-tron GT is expected to retain most of its corporate cousin’s mechanicals elements. That means there will be an electric motor at each wheel, a two-speed transmission, and a 96-kilowatt-hour battery. Drivers should expect to be able to travel around 200 miles on a charge, and while we don’t have power figures yet, Stuttgart’s version ranges between 522 horsepower for the 4S, and 750 for the Turbo S.
Other than to say it’s dumb, we’re not going to dignify the using “turbo” on a electric car, and we expect the e-tron GT will fall toward the the middle of those ratings.
As designed, the crazy wrap — which also covers the rear-passenger windows in these shots — is doing a decent job of hiding some of the details. That said, while the output of the new uber-sedan is still a mystery, and the car is still clothed in camo, one thing is absolutely certain: The exterior of the Audi will look worlds better than of its corporate cousin.
For proof, look no further than the shots of the Audi e-tron GT concept which the company debuted at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s stunning.
The first that you’ll notice? It doesn’t look much like a concept at all, as it even has details like exterior mirrors, which are often absent from design exercises. Another thing to note, is that those are actual mirrors, not the camera systems e-tron models use overseas, which indicates that American buyers can expect the car to look pretty much identical when it arrives in showrooms sometime next year.
Most importantly, the e-tron GT concept sports the fastback which makes the A6 one of the most beautiful sedans on the road, and in the spy photos, it appears intact. It’s unclear how Four Rings designers will handle the front fascia, but we’d like to go on record as saying faux-grille setup on the concept looks pretty great.
Current reports indicate that the only exterior bits the Audi will share with the Taycan will be the windshield, which is good news for those who appreciate Audi’s restrained styling hand. Because after spotting a Taycan in the wild a couple of weeks back, we can say the proportions seemed off, and there was a futuristic smoothness at play which age more like grapes than wine. For what it’s worth, we also thought the wheels on the Porsche detracted significantly from the aesthetics, while the units on both the concept and camouflaged Audi looked great.
Despite everything happening in the world, the e-tron GT is still scheduled to debut before the end of the year. So stay tuned, as we’ll post more info as soon as it’s available.
Photos: Audi