Tag: 2021

Audi RS e-tron GT Provides a Rather Electrifying Driving Experience

2022 Audi RS e-tron GT

The 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT is remarkably similar to its Porsche twin, but with a few differences in terms of feel.

It’s only been a few months since the 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT was first revealed, stunning all of us with its drop-dead gorgeous looks and promised electrifying performance. But that’s to be expected from what is essentially a Porsche Taycan in a finely tailored suit, as much as 637 horsepower, and a claimed 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds.

Throw in a scrumptious interior, and you’ve got a rather unconventional/conventional EV for folks that don’t like the general quirkiness of EVs. And now we know what it’s like to drive, too, thanks to mega-popular YouTuber Shmee, or Tim Burton as he’s known in the real world.

2022 Audi RS e-tron GT

Burton currently owns a Taycan Turbo S, so he’s more qualified than most to provide some driving impressions of the new Audi RS e-tron GT, too. First off, he points out a few differences between the two cars. “This car drives remarkably similar to the Taycan, but the steering is different, the pedal feel is different, the sound is different,” Burton says. “In terms of driving, it’s a very welcoming car. When you get out on the open road and put your foot down, it just delivers.”

2022 Audi RS e-tron GT

As is the case with all EVs, the RS e-tron GT is certainly not light, weighing in at over 5,000 pounds. But apparently, it hides that mass well on the road. “You don’t necessarily realize that it’s quite that heavy,” Burton says. “It’s a big car, it’s a long car, but it has rear-wheel steering so it still feels quite agile and nimble on its feet.” Burton also notes that even in Dynamic mode, the steering is still pretty light, but that’s to be expected for a plush vehicle like this.

2022 Audi RS e-tron GT

What’s particularly interesting about the acceleration of the RS e-tron GT, however, is just how similar it is to the more powerful Taycan Turbo S. “This feels the same,” Burton notes. “The same kind of speed, the same kind of instant propulsion that shoves you in the back. That difficulty to lean forward when you’re on the throttle.” So what’s different? “Pretty much everything to do with the driving and your interaction from the steering feel to the feel of the throttle pedal and the brake pedal just being that touch softer,” Burton concludes.

Thus, think of the Audi RS e-tron GT as more of a commuter-friendly version of the sharper Taycan Turbo S, though one that presents few compromises in terms of performance when compared to its sportier twin.

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Audi RS6 Avant Takes on S8 in Battle of Mega Powerful Body Styles

Audi RS6 Avant vs S8 Drag Race

On paper, the Audi RS6 Avant has a clear advantage over the S8, but on the tarmac, it can’t seem to keep up.

There was a time when wagons were the preferred body style for those needing to haul families around – not crossovers and SUVs. Alas, those days are long gone, sadly. But we’d argue that those longing for the good old days won’t find a better wagon than the Audi RS6 Avant,  a snarling beast of a machine that’s equally capable of hauling tail and hauling the groceries. The question is – can it outrun its stablemate, the Audi S8 sedan? Well, Carwow is here to find out.

What makes this matchup particularly interesting is the fact that both of these cars are powered by a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 that lays down 590 pound-feet of torque. However, the Audi RS6 Avant makes 591 horsepower, while the S8 offers up “just” 563, and the sedan surprisingly weighs a little over 300 pounds more. The RS6 Avant is also cheaper, with a starting MSRP of $109,000 versus $130,900 for the S8. Both cars come equipped with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel-drive.

Audi RS6 Avant vs S8 Drag Race

This paper comparison is undoubtedly interesting, but what really matters is how these two cars stack up in the quarter-mile. And that comes as a bit of a surprise, as the S8 rockets ahead and takes the first win, though its driver believes he might have been “a bit premature off the line.” Thus, the two go at it again, and the result is exactly the same.

Audi RS6 Avant vs S8 Drag Race

“I think once again I’m just reacting a little bit quicker off the line,” our host says. “You’re not reacting quicker, you’re going before his hand drops,” the other driver quips. So on the third go, both cars leave together and the S8 still gains an early lead. “It seems to just be finding better traction because we were neck and neck,” the S8 driver says. “I just seem to have a bigger delay between gear changes than you,” the RS6 Avant driver notes. “When I was shifting, there was a large gap between when it engaged power again.”

While the S8 was the decisive and surprising winner here, the elapsed times – 11.4 seconds for the sedan and 11.6 seconds for the wagon – are undoubtedly close. However, our host does say that he managed to get an 11.4 out of the RS6 Avant on another occasion, so this is clearly a race that can go either way, depending on conditions and who’s behind the wheel. And once the two cars stack up for a few roll races, the RS6 Avant edges out its sedan counterpart each and every time, proving that in spite of their similarities, these two performance machines are quite different, after all.

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