Faster Audi e-tron S on the way
Audi Sport developing performance variant of pure-electric e-tron SUV to narrow the gap to the more expensive Tesla Model XA faster, better handling version of the Audi e-tron is in the works according to a new report, after a sportier derivative of the zero-emissions SUV was spotted testing at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
According to
, the more powerful Audi e-tron could carry the 'S' name already in use on models like the S5 and SQ7 models.Predicted to be on sale as soon as early 2020, the faster Audi e-tron is being developed with input from Audi Sport to offer buyers sportier, more engaging handling.
Changes over the standard car include the addition of a retuned sports suspension, a lower ride height and new software governing the air suspension for more reactive responses.
Larger wheels sporting wider tyres will also feature, along with a wider front and rear track to ensure the e-tron S develops more lateral grip -- complimented by more aggressive bumpers, wheel-arches and side skirts, as these spy shots show.
It's not clear if Audi will swap out the current car's two electric motors for larger units or go for a more radical approach of introducing triple motors – a concept that has already been explored with the original 2015 e-tron quattro concept shown at the Frankfurt motor show.
That concept generated 320kW and churned out a mighty 800Nm – enough for a 4.6 -econd sprint to 100km/h.
Whatever the case, expect a healthy boost over the current car's 265kW and 561Nm performance outputs.
Internally, Audi wants to significantly reduce the SUV's 0-100km/h time to "well below the 5.0 second barrier", says Autocar, to narrow the performance gap between the e-tron and the bigger Tesla Model X.
How close the German car-maker gets to the outrageous 2.9sec claim for the bigger battery-powered SUV remains to be seen.
One area that won't be changed is the battery, since the car-maker has already confirmed that any faster version of the e-tron would keep its 95kWh lithium-ion battery pack. That means the range is likely to remain pegged at 400km.
It's thought a faster version of the Audi e-tron could surface either at the Los Angeles motor show in November, or at the 2020 Geneva show next March.
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