Since there's an S- or an RS-version of pretty much every Audi on sale today, the e-tron couldn't stay behind.
The e-tron, and the e-tron Sportback as we're driving today, is available as a sporty S-version from now on.
First of all, let's take a look at the exterior differences compared to the regular e-tron.
The regular e-tron was available as an S Edition, but this is more than just a trim level. Take these vents over here, they're meant to cool the brakes.
They're adaptive however, so when you're just driving along the vents close. That way the car is more streamlined and it uses less electricity.
It's been widened by 23 millimetres at both sides, because of these wheel arches. They haven't done that because of track width or anything,
because that has remained the same. It comes with 20-inch wheels as standard, but this particular car is fitted with 21-inch wheels.
However, you'll always have 285 mm-wide tires. Very wide, which generates a lot of rolling resistance.
To counter that, we've got these optional electronic door mirrors. Usually, S-models come with aluminium-side view mirrors,
but you won't get those if you choose the virtual mirrors. If you ask me, you should choose the regular mirrors.
It's the same story at the back. Widened wheel arches, a small spoiler, and underneath the rear bumper there's a diffuser. A different one than...
under the regular e-tron. Also, this car doesn't have any fake exhaust tips, because it doesn't have exhausts to begin with.
When you start it up, the e-tron doesn't bark like most of the other S- or RS-models from Audi. It's an electric car of course,
so you don't have any sound at all. And if you drive it the way I'm driving it right now, in Efficiency-mode, the springs are sturdier than in the...
Comfort-mode, but that's it. It feels like a regular e-tron. Of course, you'll notice that it's quicker than its regular brother.
That's because of the higher power output. So is this the quickest Audi available today? Nope, that's still the Audi R8 V10.
This does 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, which is still slower than the R8 V10 but it's 1.2 seconds faster than the regular e-tron 55.
Audi has also stated that this is the first car with three electric motors, and people will be shouting at the screen right now going 'nope, the...
Honda NSX also has three electric motors', and they're right. However, the third electric motor in the NSX is more like a integrated motor assist.
Also, the NSX isn't a fully electric car, and this is. So this actually is the first mass-produced electric car with three electric motors.
The interior looks pretty much the same, with the three screens and virtual cockpit. Here goes the satnav and the infotainment system,
and underneath there's a screen for the climate control. Alternatively, you can use it to control the infotainment system.
Over here, we've got some carbon-accents. It's all pretty dark in here. A black ceiling, black A-pillars,
and these electrically adjustable sports seats are standard as well. They're optional extra's in the regular e-tron, but they're standard...
in here, and they are incredible. They offer enough grip and the finishing is of immaculate quality.
You can even get a different steering wheel if you want, a three-spoke version to be precise. That might be even better looking than this one.
In short, it's all perfect in here.
Right now we're driving on Audi's small test track in Neuburg, near Ingolstadt. It's home to the Audi Driving Experience...
and it's here that we're able to give it some more welly than on the public roads. It's a safer and more controlled environment.
Anyway, most of the chassis is the same as on the regular e-tron. However, even though most of the hardware is the same, the software...
absolutely isn't. Some hardware-parts are different as well. The anti-roll bars for example, they're thicker now.
The steering is also progressive. The further you steer, the lighter it becomes. If it remains in the middle, it offers more resistance.
That way, it won't become nervous when you're driving at higher speeds. On the Autobahn for example, because too direct steering is annoying.
Just like in the other e-tron, you can choose between seven different driving-modes in Drive Select. If you want sporty driving, you put it in...
Dynamic-mode, but if you want all of the power, you put it in S-mode. That generates the 8 second-power boost and you'll absolutely fly away.
It still won't beat a Tesla Model S, but it's incredibly quick nonetheless.
If you sharpen up everything and turn the ESP off, you're able to drift a little with this e-tron as well.
Or rather, you can hit the throttle in corners and the back will break out a little. Also, you're able to correct it pretty easily.
That's quite remarkable for a car that weighs 2.500 kg, that it feels pretty nimble.
Sure you can feel the extra weight when you brake, and that understeer comes a tad quicker when you're cornering at speed.
But as a whole, it really surprises me how sporty this car can be despite its enormous weight.
On the other hand, it can be incredibly comfortable. Just like a normal e-tron, as long as you choose Comfort-mode. Nothing wrong with that.
So how does the drivetrain work? Well, this car has three electric motors. That's one more than in the regular e-tron.
So how did they do it? The front motor, which is the smallest of the three, has moved to the back. However, it has gained an electric motor,
so the rear axle now has two electric motors. On the front axle, we find the big electric motor which used to be at the back.
So there's three electric motors. In normal circumstances, you're driving a rear-wheel drive car. It's not standard to have all three motors running...
because that requires lots of energy. Only when you need extra grip, extra speed or when you're accelerating quickly, the third motor kicks in.
And that's something we notice on this test track. Usually, the rear axle on a sports car would have a sports differential,
and this car has a similar feature. The two rear motors are able to control the grip for the rear wheels individually.
That's called electronic torque vectoring, which doesn't translate very well to Dutch. It works like this: if you're cornering like this, nice and fast,
the motors divide the power between the rear wheels. The inner wheels receives more whilst the outer wheel receives less.
The way it divides power and traction between the rear wheels is incredibly smooth, and it's very easy tune.
Much easier than a regular limited-slip differential.
Right, how much power does it actually produce? Well, 500 horsepower and almost 1.000 Nm of torque coming from three electric motors.
However, Audi says that when you drive it in a normal mode, you'll only have slightly more power than the regular e-tron 55.
It's not like a tuned car, it's not a lot faster all of a sudden. Also, it doesn't make a different noise. It doesn't even make any noise.
You'll mostly notice it in the chassis and steering that you're in an S, it won't be the initial drive.
We don't have official prices for this e-tron S yet, but in Germany there's an additional price of €10.000 on top of the S-edition.
That's another sporty version, and the question is if this is worth the additional €10.000. Usually, if you choose a sportier version...
you get a better noise and a bigger engine and such. Don't get me wrong, this comes with a more powerful motor as well,
but the driving experience isn't very distinctive because it's still an electric car. However, when you do push it to the limit,
you'll notice the difference. Partly because of the differential as well. But will you push it to the limit?
It's all up to you really. I think it looks better than the regular e-tron and the S-edition, but is that worth an extra €10.000?
That's something you'll have to decide.