Audi e-tron GT review

The more luxurious end of the electric-car market is filling out nicely in 2021, with plenty of options for those with plenty of cash to spend on a pure-electric car from a prestigious manufacturer. The latest arrival is the Audi e-tron GT, a four-door coupe-styled saloon that's ready to take on the Tesla Model S. 

To do so, the GT is equipped with a 93kWh battery and two electric motors, which together produce 469bhp in the 'entry-level' e-tron GT quattro version we're driving here. A 295-mile range is expected, along with a 4.1-second 0-62mph time – pretty impressive for a 2,347kg car.

Charging is just as impressive as the performance figures, with a maximum rate of 270kW allowing for a 0-80% charge in 21 minutes – if you can find a quick enough charger. It's this sort of performance that will help the e-tron GT take on conventionally powered rivals alongside its more obvious electric competitors.

As you may be able to tell from its overall profile, the e-tron GT shares much with its Volkswagen Group stablemate the Porsche Taycan: it's based on the same platform as that car and shares much of its technology. The e-tron GT gets a look all of its own, however, blending Audi's trademark front and rear styling treatments into a more modern silhouette.

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That feeling continues inside, too, where a set of big infotainment screens are carried across from other larger models in Audi's range. The design is largely familiar, but tweaked to suit the increase in real estate offered by the car's underpinnings. Those switching from a more traditional Audi model won't actually be that shocked – and that's exactly how the brand wants it.

Interior quality is excellent as you'd expect and there's the usual array of technology to hand, too, including a head-up display, keyless entry and go, a suite of modern driver assistance and safety systems and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

A range of driving modes gives you multiple options to make the most of the car's performance. These modes – called 'Efficiency', 'Comfort' and 'Dynamic' – make changes to the way the throttle, suspension and stability control react. Comfort mode brings a beautifully supple ride, Dynamic makes things feel sharp and crisp, while Dynamic opens up the full potential of the car. 

Whichever mode you choose, the GT is great to drive: its stellar steering can be attributed to Porsche's efforts with the shared platform. The character of the car is perhaps a bit softer and more relaxed than the Taycan's, but with all the grip and poise you'd expect from an Audi.

The e-tron GT looks set to be a good option at the upper end of the market, not only as an alternative to the Porsche Taycan, but also as the flagship model for a brand that's on a rapid course to electrifying its whole line-up. We'll have to wait until the car arrives in the UK and we put it up against its rivals before we can deliver the definitive verdict, however.