I came out of turn six, 'Siberia', at the Phillip Island Circuit. The track here winds to the left, then to the right, past a hay barn and up towards a large left-hand trail and the summit at Lukey Heights. On the radio is one of the Audi Sport instructors setting the pace in the 441kW/800Nm twin-turbo V8-powered Audi RS Q8 SUV, a car I've just driven on the circuit with. He is skilled, experienced, and hard-working—loud white SUV.
On the other hand, I was a bit rusty, I hadn't ridden here in years, and was rolling around the fastest motor racing circuit in Australia this time.
Even though he ordered me to press my right foot, I slowly lowered the accelerator, and even at half speed, I was able to master the RS Q8. He pushed the furious V8 monster to the limit, but my fully electric Audi RS E-Tron GT sedan was as calm as a Sunday afternoon.
This was my first experience driving a full-electric vehicle in a dedicated high-speed environment, and considering the way the swoopy E-Tron easily kept up with the brutish RS Q8, I knew it wouldn't be the last.
How much does the Audi RS E-Tron GT cost in Australia?
The Audi RS E-Tron GT is priced from $248,200 before options and on-road costs. That makes it $68,000 more expensive than its 'non-RS' counterpart, the Audi E-Tron GT, but $100 more affordable than its Zuffenhausen cousin, the Porsche Taycan GTS.
Beneath its aerodynamic profile (0.24 Cd), the RS E-Tron GT packs a pair of electric motors, a 93kWh battery, Quattro all-wheel drive, rear-axle steering, and an 800-volt electrical infrastructure that allows up to 270kW DC fast charging.
Output is listed at 440kW and 830Nm, but a peak of 457kW is available in the car's temporary 'boost' mode. That's more than the Taycan GTS (380kW/440kW boost/850Nm) but less than the Taycan Turbo (460kW/500kW boost/850Nm).
Buyers get a six-year Chargefox charging subscription, the convenience of driver (DC) and passenger (AC) side charging ports, 21-inch wheels, and nine color options at no additional cost.
And, for the return trip, there's a Bang & Olufsen 3D Surround Sound 710-watt, 16-speaker sound system as standard.
Important details of the 2024 Audi RS E-Tron GT
Prices Start at $248,200 plus travel costs
The color of the Daytona test car is grey, pearl effect
Options available Carbon and black exterior package – $15,000
Sensory package – $8400
RS Design Package – $4550
22kW AC charger package – $6900
Optional 21-inch wheels – $1800
Carbon brakes – $12,500
Black Audi Badge – $700
The Audi RS E-Tron GT claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.3 seconds and is electronically limited to a top speed of 250km/h.
2024 Audi RS E-Tron GT
Seat Five
Boot volume 350L
Length 4989mm
Width 1964mm
Height 1414mm
Wheelbase 2900mm
I started this journey in the Audi RS E-Tron GT to understand whether an electric vehicle could still stimulate the senses as a performance car, or whether the carnival driving sensation of the initial burst of acceleration would soon wear off. You throw some angles into the mix.
Right here, now, and almost wishing the RS Q8 hadn't gotten in my way, I've gotten past the initial question and am now asking "What else can this thing do?"
Forget Scalextric, slot car racing is now a 1:1 scale hobby, albeit an expensive one.
The RS E-Tron GT, as the name suggests, is a sporty 'Rennsport' implementation of the Audi E-Tron GT four-door sedan.
It offers dual motors with a power output of up to 475kW (in boost mode) and 830Nm of torque via a two-speed transmission to all four wheels. Even its regular output of 440kW is a 90kW increase on the 'regular' E-Tron GT (a 350kW / 390kW increase) and places the RS E-Tron GT in the upper echelon of not only electric cars but also supercar power numbers.
But we knew it would happen.
Tesla has created a platform that calls out to the world that electric cars can go incredibly fast, so much so that straight-line performance has been completely democratized.
When I was younger, I had a set of 'Top Trumps' cards featuring a 1984 Ford RS200 rally car as a vehicle to play with when flexing acceleration numbers. This Group B monster recorded a 0-100 km/h time of under 4 seconds, a figure often considered so amazing that it must be wrong.
Today you can do that in the MG 4 XPower hatchback.
A circuit like Phillip Island asks more of a car than just straight-line performance from a standing start, and it was in this fast and technical environment that the E-Tron showed that it was more than just a one-trick pony and big numbers.
Getting through the first corner at high speed often feels challenging as the car moves, naturally drifting toward the center of the circuit on the corner exit. Not so with the Audi Electro.
For starters, the car is wide. Very wide.
The 1964mm width is a total of 112mm, exceeding the width of the Porsche 992 911 (1852mm). The wheels are pushed out, with a 1687mm front track and 1667mm rear track with large 9.5-inch front tires and 11.5-inch wide rears. Combined with all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering capabilities, the Audi feels firmly attached to the ground. What a proper slot car.
The problem is, as we head back through the double-apex Southern Loop and into the hairpin turn of the Honda/Miller corner, I know that I'm not set up to explore the limits of the e-tron's grip levels.
Once again Jeff crackled over the radio and said to “push out through turn three”, but again I knew I would end up behind the RS Q8 if I did. Once again I took off well before braking towards the hairpin (and swans) behind it.
Here there is no need to throw anchor hard and test the capabilities of the car's 409mm front rotor and 366mm rear rotor. By applying the brakes firmly but not too hard, I shed speed behind the swooping, squirming SUV and was able to easily maneuver the corner into a tight left-hander.
Important details of the 2024 Audi RS E-Tron GT
Dual electric motor engine
Power Boost mode 440kW / 475kW
Torque 830Nm
Drive Type wheel drive
2-speed automatic transmission
Power to weight ratio 187.6kW/t
Weight (curb) 2345kg
Spinning an 11.0m circle
Under power, you can hear the roar of the motor revving, and where there was a rush of wind and the exhilarating sound of tires, with the helmet I was wearing, I was almost surprised how much I didn't notice or even care about the lack of power. engine noise.
This is largely due to the PlayStation-like 'gearless' driving style, where your role is to manage fast, slow, left, right, kick, punch, and jump.
You are not concentrating on the timbre and vibration of the engine to understand where you are in the gear selection process. You don't have to consider braking too early or worry about missing a change and hitting the barrier when the power is on.
You just drive.
Concentration is still required, mind you. Just in a different way.
It's more than just knowing there's a 2535kg V8 SUV right in front of you that you don't want to go near… although you could, just as easily, it's about considering your environmental variables in a way that respects the environment. the speed at which things are happening, or could happen.
Moving the power confidently and smoothly so as not to disrupt the approach that has become the rhythm of performance driving is now paramount. The amount of speed you can increase in such a short time and distance means you now have to constantly readjust your angle planning.
Saw the steering or stab the throttle and you can throw the whole turning equation out of balance and get into trouble. You move quickly and very easily in this car, so small inputs and a fluid mindset are key.
The way the car can also reduce speed quickly means there is an opportunity to enter Phillip Island's dozens of corners faster, and then, go faster in preparation for the next corner.
We pushed on for the final lap and picked up speed on the Island's spectacular front straight. Here the speedo passes 200km/h very quickly, and it feels like there's a lot more to it. Part of me wants the RS Q8 out of the way so I can see how much more the GT can deliver.
Even without the unlawful explosion, the E-Tron has shown that the electric platform has a lot to offer high-performance drivers, and in this case, it can work for drivers of varying abilities behind the wheel.
Beginners will feel supported by the car's stability and may be surprised by how fast it is, while more experienced drivers will feel confident in pushing the limits of their abilities as they steer the car towards its own pace.
Lots of fun. There are many advantages. So what's the catch?
Priced at $248,200 before options and on-road costs, the Audi RS E-Tron GT won't be included in the track-day specials for most buyers. It's not just about price, the E-Tron has a physical problem... with physics.
After a few laps, you'll probably wonder how things are going, and this is where the RS E-Tron GT isn't quite ready for mass adoption in motorsport clubs.
On a three-lap run, we used an average of 86kWh of energy per 100km. This is the result of excessive use of power and limited regeneration opportunities, meaning the car uses more brakes than the motor recovers power.
With a 93 kWh battery, that gives us a range of around 100 km, or in Phillip Island currency, around 18 laps of the 5.3-kilometer circuit, assuming, of course, you start with a full 'tank'.
This means that without at least a 50kW charger on site, enjoying the RS E-Tron GT at almost any motorsport venue in Australia will be a time- and lap-limited activity. Hopefully, there aren't two or more EVs enjoying track time and wanting to share a charging station at the end of the day.
It's not just battery usage that you need to worry about. It's a brake.
Bear in mind that at 2345kg, the Audi is almost 840kg heavier than a Porsche 911 Carrera (1505kg), which means those brake pads and rotors will do just fine.
Luckily the RS Q8 is here because you'll need something capable of towing the E-Tron home if your life-sized slot car racing day runs out of ways to go or stop!
I don't want to end up disappointed, as the RS E-Tron GT is a truly outstanding machine in this environment, so we could see it being an early iteration of a capable performance-based electric car.
Over the next few years as technology becomes smaller, lighter, and cheaper, I am sure we will see several electric machines changing the way we approach club-based and education-based motorsport activities.
In the same way that small-capacity turbocharged cars opened up a world of accessibility for young enthusiasts to get their own experience on the track, so will the next generation of electrics open the door to greater performance and potential.
