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Back in 2021, the original version of Audi's RS e-tron GT aimed to take its RS performance brand into a fresh, electrified era. Though the price was high and most of the core technology here was shared with this car's Porsche Taycan Turbo cousin, it was all delivered with a distinctly Audi feel and character. Sixty is a blink of an eye away, yet you're in a planet-friendly EV. And it was all delivered with a very Ingolstadt-style dose of that 'want one' factor.
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History
Once exclusively reserved for throbbing petrol powerplants, by 2021 Audi's RS badge could be found adorning a car with no fossil fuel addiction at all - this one, the RS e-tron GT. It was a direct Ingolstadt interpretation of this car's close cousin, the Porsche Taycan Turbo.
Most of the same technology is inevitably shared between the two cars but this Audi has its own distinctive look and feel, which for many will set it apart. In real world terms, back in 2021 this was the fastest car the brand had ever made. It was also the flagship model in the company's then-growing e-tron EV range. Both are reasons, should you need them, to take this contender very seriously indeed.
Here, we look at the earlier 2021-2023-era versions of this RS e-tron GT as a used buy. This car was substantially updated in mid-2024.
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What you get
inch Audi 'virtual cockpit plus' screen stands freely within it. The driver and front passenger sit low in the cockpit separated by a wide centre console which houses the gear selector switch, its compact design emphasising the sense of space and providing a precise haptic control experience.
The rear seats offer sufficient space even for adults, who are able to sit lower and position their feet in what is known as a 'foot garage' thanks to a recess incorporated in the design of the battery pack running beneath the passenger compartment, which effectively compensates for the tapering roof line. Their luggage can be stowed in the rear load area, providing a volume of up to 405-litres. A second luggage compartment beneath the bonnet offers a further 81-litres of space.
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What to look for
You're going to need to be aware of a number of issues if you commit to any Audi RS e-tron GT, these mainly centring around belt-fastened sensor problems, the potential for liquid entering the battery pack and various small electrical issues. There were various product recalls which you need to make sure have been addressed with the car you're looking at. One referred to a potential overheating risk with the charging cable when the car reaches 100% charge. Another referenced the risk of front brake hose leaks. Another was a software recall, issued to resolve battery-related short-circuit issues. Our original test car wasn't particularly well built; look out for squeaks and rattles and things like rubber trim strips coming unstuck. The www.e-tronforum.com website is a good place to survey potential problems.
Check that the car you're looking at doesn't have difficulties when starting a charge session, usually because of connector issues. In some cars, the connector can't make a proper contact, which affects the connection between the car and the charger. You have to make sure the connector is pushed firmly into the charge port, a movement that will create the required connection, which will enable you to start the charging session.
Otherwise, it's just the usual things; alloy wheels scuffs, interior child damage and the need for a fully stamped-up service history.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on an RS e-tron GT 2021) - Ex Vat - autodoc.co.uk) A cabin filter costs in the £16-£85 bracket. Front brake pads sit in the £37-£156 bracket for a set. A set of rear brake pads are in the £42-£78 bracket. A front brake disc sits in the £101-£212 bracket. A rear brake disc is in the £59-£137 bracket. A wiper blade is in the £22-£56 bracket.
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On the road
Get ready for lots of numbers. This early RS e-tron GT uses a 238PS front motor, with another at the back offering 456PS. You can't simply add those figures together to get its total output (because the two motors never reach power together). That total figure's actually quoted at 598PS (122PS more than an ordinary early-spec e-tron GT); or, for a two second burst when you need acceleration, 646PS (which is 116PS more than an ordinary early e-tron GT). For reference, this original RS e-tron's total boosted output figure is 34PS less than the equivalent early version of its identically engineered development cousin, the Porsche Taycan Turbo.
Assuming you're up for a few more figures, you'll want to know how fast this recipe makes this early RS e-tron GT. Well, think 62mph in 3.3s. Which is pretty impressive for something weighing in at 2,347kg in kerb weight. Audi differentiated this car from its Porsche cousin wherever it could, which in terms of drive dynamics means a different feel to the steering. It's lighter than it is in a Taycan and more familiar to customers graduating to this car from another Audi.
This model's prodigious kerb weight gives this contender a different feel from other Audi RS models, but because the mass is low and centrally placed, the car still corners with conviction. Whether there's enough of a real world performance advantage here to justify the considerable price premium over an ordinary e-tron GT quattro is another question. Various drive modes adjust throttle feel and steering weight - and of course ride comfort too, via the adaptive damping system. You'll want to select the quickest 'dynamic' setting whenever possible.
The clever 800V electric system that all e-tron GT models use doesn't help driving range much. For this early RS variant, that's WLTP-rated at just 283 miles, 15 miles less than the standard early-spec e-tron GT quattro. At a sufficiently powerful DC terminal, this early version of this RS electric GT can achieve a peak charging capacity of up to 270kW, allowing it to take on board enough charge for a journey of up to 62 miles in just over five minutes.
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Overall
The ultimate EV can't be very far from what's on offer in Audi's RS e-tron GT, even in this original form. Sixty from rest as fast as a superbike. Cabin luxury to rival a limousine. And an 800-volt electrified powertrain charging system under the sculpted body panels, with technology lifted direct from Audi's Le Mans-winning race car. If the Ingolstadt brand could have capped all of this with a Tesla-style extended driving range, then all would have been perfect.
As it was, the 283 mile figure on offer from this early version of this model was the kind of thing it was possible to get from a little Korean EV compact crossover back in 2021. And you're unlikely to approach that kind of return very often, such is the temptation here to constantly exercise this e-tron RS model's astonishing reserves of power. So the range is a disappointment. And the asking price might limit this car to lottery winners. But even so, it's an astonishing technological achievement. And, in its own unique way, one of the most desirable Audi RS models ever made.
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