Driving the Audi RS e-tron GT Warp-Speed ​​in Korea

Tony Stark has been an Audi driver since iron man 1. His first automotive sidekick was Audi’s supercar, the first-generation R8 4.2 FSI Quattro. But in his last Wonderful appearance, Stark went green, driving the Audi RS e-tron GT.

First unveiled as a concept car at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, the e-tron GT garnered a lot of attention, marking the brand’s entry into the electric market. Three years later, the mass-produced version of the e-tron GT was unveiled via an online world premiere, once again making the hearts of car enthusiasts around the world flutter, for better or worse. .

But while many gas fans sniff at the sight of an EV, there may be one saving grace: Audi RS.

Standing for “Rennsport,” which means “racing” in German, an RS moniker in front of an Audi model name means the car has Quattro racing and rally DNA (or simply, very good four-wheel drive). Fittingly, Hypebeast Korea headed to the Jamsil Sports Complex, where the first Formula-E Seoul Grand Prix was held last summer, to test drive the car.

With this in mind, we’ve put the Audi RS e-tron GT to the test for our latest installment of open road. Keep reading to know more.

Abroad

Audi has cleverly captured its visual identity, but modernized the signatures, per the EV manual, with the RS e-tron GT. Aside from the four rings at the front, we find aerodynamic “Matrix LED” headlamps, air intakes, animated taillights and sculpted shapes that give the car a distinctive Audi silhouette. He is attractive, muscular and aerodynamic; Guess which two of those credentials are rarely attributed to electric cars?

With the RS option checked, the car also gets plenty of carbon-fiber appliqués: intakes, wings, mirror caps, diffusers, and much of the interior get a light treatment, helping the car shed some of the weight of the battery. .

Inside

Given its RS credentials, a lot has been invested in the car to make it feel like a sports car rather than the sedan it appears to be on the outside. RS badging graces the illuminated door sills and “e-tron GT” marks the floor courtesy of door entry lights, welcoming you into the depths of its sporty cabin, flanked by black leather seats with stitching. red.

The brand’s “digital cockpit” is fully customizable and displays everything you deem necessary to see while driving; to us, those are performance numbers. A flat-bottom steering wheel enhances the motorsports DNA, while moody lighting continues to put you in the zone.

Being an Audi, of which we have driven three others, the RS3, RS4 and R8, we expect nothing less than the highest quality. It’s a good place to be, as it should be for a car that costs over $143,900.

Performance

Press the red start button, lightly step on the foot pedal and the ASMR “wooong” bong above your head. While it may not be the bubbling of an Audi V8, this aural note ignites the senses within you, building anticipation for an electrifying ride.

As we reached the Olympic Highway towards Jamsil, an empty section opened up in front of us. Sit tight and get ready for take off.

Instead of feeling like the car is spinning its wheels and moving forward, it feels like it’s being sucked towards the vanishing point. Boasting a standard 598 HP and a whopping 646 HP with “Boost Mode” delivered to all four wheels, this car is nothing short of a rocket ship.

This is thanks to a unique transmission that compiles two gears, mounted on the rear axle. With this, the throttle comes on hard, while harder pressure on the pedal causes the revs to rise, much like an internal combustion engine downshifting. And like the ICE alternatives, the RS e-tron GT is just as, if not more, instantly and headily powerful.

But not everything is speed, since the track is in the name. “GT.” grand tour, or grand tourism for you players. Either way, the coupe-like four-door EV is a car designed to be enjoyed, cherished, and kicked back in, with the added ability to crush most supercars with ease at a red light.

Items like the three-chamber adaptive air suspension provide a smooth ride, blasting potholes into oblivion. And like all good GT cars, the RS e-tron GT can go all the way too (unless, like us, you’re putting your foot down on the pedal). We got 208 miles on a single charge in Korea, and you wouldn’t get much more in the car’s V8 equivalent.

If this is the future, we are ready.

This piece has been adapted accordingly. The original version can be found on Hypebeast Korea..