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Watch out, Tesla! There’s a new electric vehicle on the market that’s not an SUV and it’s ready to put up a fight. It’s called the Audi E-Tron GT and at long last, we got to see what the production model will look like. The car was recently unveiled and considering its potent powertrain setup and nimble, yet comfortable handling characteristics, it looks like the E-Tron GT will be the Audi R8 of the electric car segment.

The E-Tron GT is an exercise in Audi engineering

Taking a look at the specs for the forthcoming Audi E-Tron GT, it looks like the automaker incorporated a lot of the tried-and-true styling and engineering that you can find other models in its stable, but with a much more futuristic twist. For example, there’s a single-frame grille up front, the rear-end and taillights look a little A7-like, and of course, it’s powered by a dual-motor setup like you can find in the rest of the E-Tron family.

A gray Audi E-Tron GT driving down the road
Audi E-Tron GT | Audi

There will be two different versions of the Audi E-Tron GT when it comes out this Spring: the E-Tron GT Quattro and the RS E-Tron GT. The first will have one motor powering the front wheels and another powering the rear for a true all-wheel-drive setup, and together, the motors will have a power output of 469 hp. However, there will also be a special boost mode that will enable an output of 522 hp for up to 2.5 seconds for those times you need to pass a Tesla Model S to make it to your freeway exit. According to Audi, this version of the E-Tron GT should get around 238 miles on a single charge and will be able to accelerate up to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.

The Audi RS E-Tron GT version is for those looking for even more power and performance. This model will produce up to 590 hp out of its dual-motor setup and up to 637 hp when it’s in boost mode. That kind of power will be able to take the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and the car should be able to travel up to 232 miles on a single charge.

Audi E-Tron GT rear shot of it driving down a road
Audi E-Tron GT rear | Audi

The Audi E-Tron GT has a host of other supercar goodies

Working in conjunction with the Audi E-Tron GT’s potent motor setup is a host of other tech goodies that you would normally find on a supercar. Beneath its fenders is a standard three-chamber air suspension that offers a wide variety of spring rates to provide enough comfort for daily driving as well as the stiffness needed for more spirited driving, like when you’re on a track. Complimenting the suspension is a set of 20-inch wheels on both iterations of the E-Tron GT, which can be swapped for larger 21-inch wheels if you want a wider contact patch.

Audi E-Tron GT Interior shot
Audi E-Tron GT Interior | Audi

On the inside, there’s a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit display for the driver and a 10.1-inch MMI infotainment screen for everyone else. The seats are adorned in a leather-free Dinamica and Alcantara material and the standard flat-bottom steering is wrapped in Alcantara as well, but a perforated, leather-wrapped one is available. And if you opt for the RS E-Tron GT, then a lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic roof is standard, which not only saves weight but also lowers the car’s center of gravity.

Two Audi E-Tron GT models posing at dusk
Two Audi E-Tron GT models | Audi

Is the Audi E-Tron GT a Tesla fighter?

Technically speaking (now that we know all of the specs), the Audi E-Tron doesn’t look super competitive with the Tesla Model S, at least on paper. As CNN pointed out, a base Tesla Model S Long Range has the same type of acceleration, can get up to 400 miles on a single charge, and it even costs $60,000 less. That’s right, the Audi E-Tron will have a starting price of $99,900, which goes up to $139,900 for the RS model.

Bench racing aside, the Audi promises that the E-Tron GT will be a comfortable grand touring car that you can drive every day and flog on a race track on the weekends, should you feel the need. This is essentially what the Audi R8 was also made to do, so it’s no wonder that the brand injected the same formula into this electric luxury car.  

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