Showtime LA

Audi has maintained a proud tradition of producing show-stealing concept vehicles, unveiling the captivating Audi e-tron GT concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show over night.

The electric powered Audi e-tron GT concept is a stunning four-door coupé that will form the basis for the volume-production counterpart which is set to follow in around two years. 

With technology developed in collaboration with Porsche it boasts a 434kW system output and electric quattro, making the e-tron GT concept a performance specialist with styling to match. The lightweight body uses multi-material construction and measures 4.96 metres long, 1.96m wide and 1.38 tall.

The styling is bold and points to the new direction of the Audi design language, although there are unmistakable links to the likes of the RS 5 Sportback and definite motorsport DNA in many of the details. The shape is sleek yet muscular, the sculpted wheel arches accentuating the car’s obvious performance credentials and giving it a strong, muscular stance.

Low slung and sitting on 22-inch wheels, the e-tron GT’s presence is impressive even standing still.

The top half of the hallmark Audi Singleframe grille comes with a cover painted in body colour and features a surface structure reminiscent of the typical honeycomb pattern of the grille on the Audi RS models. Large air inlets in the front effectively cool the assemblies, battery and brakes and the bonnet with its airflow on the surface echoes the brand’s two latest show cars, the Aicon and the PB18 e-tron. It is designed in such a way that the airflow hugs the body, thus reducing undesired swirl. 

Matrix LED headlights with laser high beam are a feature of the front end, while at the rear, a light strip runs across the entire width of the car, dissipating at the outer edges, in the actual lighting units, into individual wedge-shaped LED segments. 

Inside the sporty four-seater, the driver is very much the focal point, with the centre console, large touchscreen in the top section and the line from the door rail and cockpit all framing the driver’s position. Both the screen of the central instrument and the touchscreen above the centre console come with a black-panel look finish. They underscore the large, calm design of the interior with its predominantly horizontal basic architecture. Various layouts are available for the monitors to present the functions depending on the driver’s preference, including virtual instrument dials, easy-to-read navigation maps with information on the range, or various infotainment function menus. They are controlled via the touchscreen with tactile feedback.

Sport seats inspired by motor racing in both rows of seats provide optimum lateral support and the designers have gone for the consistent use of sustainable materials with no animal-based products used at all. Sophisticated, synthetic leather is used on the seats and other trim surfaces, while fabrics made from recycled fibers are used on the seat cushions as well as the armrests and on the centre console. Microfiber material adorns the headlining and the trim of the window pillars and even the deep-pile floor carpet is made from sustainable Econyl yarn, a recycled fiber made from used fishing nets. 

In addition to the occupant accommodation, the Audi e-tron GT concept offers up to 450 litres of luggage capacity and an extra 100 litres under the bonnet.

The Audi e-tron GT concept is powered by separate electric motors fitted to the front and rear axles. In both cases these are permanently excited synchronous motors that put down the torque onto the road via electric quattro where there is no mechanical link between the front and rear axle. The electronic control system coordinates the drive between the axles as well as between left and right wheels. That means optimum traction and just the desired amount of slip. 

In future, the vehicle should accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in around 3.5 seconds before going on to 200km/h in just over 12 seconds. The top speed is regulated at 240km/h to maximise range. One feature unique to e-tron GT is the option of fully utilising the drive’s acceleration potential several times in succession. While elsewhere the drive is switched to overdrive for thermal considerations, the Audi e-tron GT concept can provide the driver with the full potential of both motors and the battery thanks to its sophisticated cooling strategy. 

Drive energy comes from a lithium-ion battery with an energy content of more than 90 kWh, which takes up the entire underfloor area between the front and rear axle with its flat design delivering a range of more than 400km.

The recuperation system increases the range by up to 30 percent on Audi electric vehicles – this is essential even with such a sporty car as the Audi e-tron GT concept. The recuperation involves both the two electric motors and the electrohydraulically integrated brake control system. 

Different recuperation modes are combined: manual coasting recuperation using the shift paddles, automatic coasting recuperation via the predictive efficiency assist, and brake recuperation with smooth transition between electric and hydraulic deceleration. Up to 0.3 g, the Audi e-tron GT concept recuperates energy solely via the electric motors, without using the conventional brake – that covers over 90 percent of all decelerations. As a result, energy is fed back to the battery in practically all normal braking manoeuvres. The wheel brakes are involved only when the driver decelerates by more than 0.3 g using the brake pedal. The Audi e-tron GT concept features high-performance ceramic disks which also operate with multiple extreme decelerations without compromising braking performance.

Charging can be taken care of using a cable which is connected behind the flap in the left front wing, or by means of contactless induction with Audi Wireless Charging. With a charging output of 11kW the Audi e-tron GT concept can be fully charged conveniently overnight. 

The Audi e-tron GT concept is fitted with an 800-volt system which substantially reduces charging times compared with conventional systems that are currently in use. The battery can be charged to 80 percent of its capacity in around 20 minutes, once again providing a range of more than 320 kilometres (WLTP) or it can be recharged at charging points with lower voltages, providing the driver with access to the entire charging network. 

As part of the brand’s electric offensive, Audi will develop the e-tron GT concept into a volume-production model by the end of 2020, with initial deliveries made to customers in early 2021.