Ingolstadt’s take on the Taycan combines striking looks with a high-class interior and never feels short of pace
The Audi E-tron GT is far more than a Porsche Taycan in different clothes. The two share their J1 architecture and near-identical proportions, but while the sportier Porsche’s goal is driver appeal, Audi’s flagship EV plays the role of electric grand tourer.The softer-edged E-tron GT was launched in 2021 and cost around £85,000 new, or closer to £100k with options. Depreciation hasn’t been kind on the E-tron, though, which means you can now snap up Audi’s elegant electric GT for a scarcely believable £30,000.Older Taycans are now going for similar cash, and you can pick up a Tesla Model S for even less money – but Ingolstadt’s EV exec could be the smarter buy.The Audi feels every bit the premium proposition inside, decked out with gleaming polished metals, plush leather and a brace of crisp digital displays.Unlike the screen-first Taycan and Tesla, though, the Audi’s cockpit majors on tactile appeal and ergonomics, with its glossy screens complemented by conventional button-operated climate controls that are far easier to operate on the move.The Audi doesn’t offer more space than the Taycan, but even with its rakish roofline there’s plenty of room inside. Taller passengers might find the rear a little snug, but most cars have been optioned with a panoramic roof, which makes the cabin feel airy.The boot holds just 405 litres and the opening is narrow, but it’s easy to fold the seats and slip your skis/clubs/rods in.Unlike the Taycan, the E-tron GT came exclusively with a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain producing 469bhp as standard, or 523bhp with launch control activated for a 0-62mph time of just 4.1sec.If, mystifyingly, you find that too sedate, consider the 590bhp RS E-tron GT: activate its launch control and power jumps to 637bhp for 0-62mph in a blistering 3.3sec. That’s impressive in anything, never mind a 2.3-tonne saloon.Full-bore launches, though, will quickly drain the battery, but the E-tron has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to keep range anxiety at bay.As standard, it’s fitted with a 93kWh battery, which gives the entry-level E-tron GT Quattro a 298-mile range (283 miles in the RS).You’re more likely to achieve 230-240 miles in the real world, and while that’s some way off the Model S (350 miles), it’s better than an entry-level Taycan, which can return only around 220 miles from its smaller 79kWh battery.You can get the Taycan with the same 93kWh battery, but a tidy 2021 dual-motor 4S (with similar performance to the Audi) that has covered around 20,000 miles will cost you around £3000-£4000 more than an equivalent E-tron GT.Because the Audi inherited the Taycan’s 800V architecture, it can charge at up to 270kW, which means a 10-80% boost takes only around 25 minutes.You’ll barely have time to grab a coffee if you stop and charge at a motorway services (with a suitably quick charger), and such speeds mean you’ll feel comfortable doing longer journeys, too.In fact, it’s on these longer road trips where the E-tron comes into its own. It hides its mass incredibly well, with a 50:50 weight distribution endowing it with impressive balance and agility.Sure, it’s not as dynamic as the Porsche, and its steering lacks a bit of communication, but as we said when we tested the car in 2021: “The Audi rides with a luxurious plushness befitting its remit.”
