Audi e-tron GT RS: The electric executive jet that saves you NIS 700,000

It’s rare to encounter a radical change in the context of a facelift. Usually, it’s touches on the bumpers, maybe a slightly updated powertrain, things like that. Sometimes the changes are more significant. The facelift of the Audi RS e-tron GT is anything but minor. In fact, it targets the very soft underbelly of the early e-tron GT version.

We tested the previous version exactly two years ago and concluded: “It’s not a perfect car, neither as a driving machine nor as a GT car. It’s also limited in range. More than anything, the electric RS is a cool glimpse into the future of battery-powered driving, and the future looks rosy.”

Now, with significant updates in several areas and a new Performance version, we have the opportunity to see whether the promise is fulfilled or if we still need to wait.

At Munich Airport, many cars are parked—not Korean mini-cars or Japanese family sedans—but all the best that the German automotive industry has to offer.

In the huge parking lot, numerous Audi e-tron GTs are lined up in all their versions, and here we look for our car—the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance, the new top-end version of Ingolstadt’s electric sports car.

In terms of design, it doesn’t seem like much has changed, aside from minor touches on the bumpers and side skirts. Even the new top version doesn’t get a unique signature or design element to distinguish it from a standard 584-hp e-tron GT.

That doesn’t make it unattractive. It was and remains a stunning sports car, one that draws glances even in Germany.

Eventually, the car was found. It’s unclear whether it’s because we came from Israel, but the car waited in a 'Khaki' color, with carbon components (which alone cost as much as a supermini) in camouflage pattern. We felt nostalgic.

Outside, not much has changed, and the same applies inside. The multimedia system is similar, the operation is similar, and only minor changes in the screens in the multimedia system and dashboard reveal that this is a new version. The seating position is low, and the seat is nearly perfect. It is firm yet provides excellent body support, customizable to your preference, and includes a massage function for a significant extra fee.

And now one of the few weak points that hasn’t really changed with the facelift: Rear space remains limited for tall passengers. The roof slopes early, forcing occupants to sit lower than desired. The seat isn’t high enough and does not offer good thigh support. The trunk has a reasonable capacity, nothing more. A few trolley-sized suitcases fit, but don’t expect to fit a family with luggage—the capacity is only 350 liters. Up front, there is a relatively large compartment of about 80 liters. A Bang & Olufsen sound system with 16 speakers provides some compensation.

Let’s clarify things. The base model is the e-tron GT, above it is the e-tron GT S, and then comes the RS GT. This was the top version in the past, and we drove it two years ago. It boasted 646 hp, far from the 843 hp offered today.

Above all of these, behold the new Performance version. With 925 hp under the hood, this car would make King Solomon blush. It’s true that the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, which underwent a similar facelift, received slightly more power—1,034 hp. But the Porsche costs NIS 2.005 million in Israel, while the Audi cuts a third of the price at NIS 1.35 million, suddenly seeming less expensive.

We often talk about the instant torque of electric cars, and anyone driving an EV knows how immediate the power is. Now combine all the horsepower with all-wheel drive that grips the road like a toddler gripping a parent on the first day of kindergarten. Add 265 Pirelli P-Zero tires on 21-inch rims. What do you get? A stiff neck.

Even before activating Boost or RS mode, this car assaults the asphalt like a convoy of Merkava tanks, and it only gets worse the more you push. Officially, it accelerates 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, and if you find a straight, quiet road, you’ll experience the primary launch of your internal organs towards your spine. I imagine surgeons would diagnose it as a blast injury; even compared to the previous RS e-tron GT, it’s violent. To top it off, there’s a present and cool “dynamic” electric sound, like a Star Wars effect.

Audi listened to critiques of the pre-facelift model, and the new version features a significantly larger 97 kWh battery. The new battery, combined with advanced motors, is intended to improve the main weakness of this car, especially in the GT versions—range.

GT cars are meant to cover long distances. The previous GT stopped for charging every 250–300 km, which simply wasn’t enough. The new car, however, surprised us with a significantly upgraded range. On paper, this version should travel 592 km between charges. We managed 350–400 km multiple times and still had a nice amount of charge left. We even ran a range test simulating constant driving at 120 km/h on the Autobahn and achieved an impressive 440 km.

On the other hand, if you drive above 150 km/h (relevant in Germany), you’ll find the battery drinks like a Russian soldier on first leave at home. At 250 km/h, you get there fast, but not necessarily far.

The highlight of the Performance version is the advanced air suspension, which upgrades road behavior. Surprisingly, it felt slightly less comfortable compared to the previous RS. True, the new version is more extreme, and we didn’t compare them side by side, but it offers slightly firm damping in city driving and sometimes tightens the suspension even in the most comfortable mode.

Another complaint is visibility and the low height of the vehicle. These make city driving and parking challenging. There are more cameras than Big Brother and more sensors than a Mars rover, but at the end of the day, as you surely learned in the army, the only solution is ground guidance.

Despite minor complaints, on the highway it shines. It is very quiet, sufficiently comfortable, and provides an excellent GT experience.

The air suspension mainly keeps the car’s body stable in corners, lifting the outer side to maintain balance. The result is a car with no understeer, at least on public roads. The steering is precise and gives drivers millimeter-level accuracy on winding roads. The steering isn’t the most communicative, but balancing communication/precision/weight, it earns a very good score.

Unlike the pre-facelift model, the RS offers excellent response when easing the throttle mid-corner. It reacts like a good gasoline car, sharpening entry and allowing the rear to follow nicely (some call it Rotation). The car feels lighter and more dynamic than its 2.4-ton weight.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate into a playful rear end, making it hard to get the tail out for a spin, at least on public roads. This lowers its “fun” score, but who really wants to lose the tail of a car hurtling along winding Autobahn roads? Better to invest in the brakes.

A small complaint before the end: The ceramic brakes are excellent, but after heavy use, you could feel that they struggled to restrain all the horsepower and handle the immense weight.

After a week with the Performance version, we can say that the present of electric GT cars is rosy. The performance model ticks almost every box. It offers insane performance, excellent road behavior, superb cruising experience, and impressive range. And that’s without even considering rapid charging rates up to 320 kW.

All these figures make it an amazing Autobahn car, which may be its challenge in Israel. In the city, on broken roads and in traffic jams, it’s not exactly in its element. But if you can handle these drawbacks and can afford one, we’re sure you can also hire a ground guide.