Frankfurt Preview: Audi e-Tron electric supercar gets early web unveil
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Sep 14th 2009 at 10:49AM 
Audi e-Tron renderings - Click above for high-res image gallery
Apparently, electric cars aren't such a bad idea after all. Just days after Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen proclaimed that diesels were the future in lieu of electrons, Audi's own electric supercar concept will be officially debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show. While we're anxiously awaiting Audi's scheduled press conference, a slew of renderings managed to make their way to the internet this morning that show some of the car's interesting visual details.
Called the e-Tron, Audi's eco-friendly supercar concept is based heavily on the underpinnings of the German automaker's awesome R8. Major differences include a closed-off front grille, revised front and rear fascias with C-shaped LED head lamps and a unique set of multispoke wheels. Perhaps the most obvious change is the deletion of the standard R8's trademark side blades. We sorta miss 'em, though it's understandable that aerodynamics are the name of the game for this concept car.
We're still not sure what exactly will power the e-Tron, but the smart money is on a fully electric drivetrain. Check out our gallery of official-looking renderings below.
Gallery: Audi e-Tron renderings
[Source: World Car Fans]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
AC 10:51AM (9/14/2009)
looks like a bling-bling-up'ed R8
and where's the sideblade....
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zamafir 10:59AM (9/14/2009)
yes, wth? those wheels, that grill? come on audi, after the avus, rosemeyer, rsq, and lemans concepts u give us this trash? I don't care what's under the hood, ditch the grill and wheels now.
Paul 11:59AM (9/14/2009)
Looks like it's an Audi for idiots.
Audi should fire THAT idiot US president of theirs. I can't help but think how he insulted every possible Audi buyer interested in electric power.
anonymous j 2:16PM (9/14/2009)
its a sauerkrauted out R8
doc b 8:59PM (9/14/2009)
sexy rear, lovely side proportions
concept interior OK, Audi notorious for early debuts of interiors in concepts
horrific wheels and grill
Parlay84 10:57AM (9/14/2009)
Didn't some Audi guy call the Volt for idiots because of its electric drivetrain.....so I guess the same should apply for this right
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homunculus 10:58AM (9/14/2009)
the audi guy said that all electric cars are for the 'intellectual elite.'
zamafir 11:04AM (9/14/2009)
@homunculus - he said the current crop of cars are and it's the most accurate part of his statement. Go talk to a tesla owner or a tango owner and get back to me. I'll be very surprised if you've found them to be humble. The last dozen I've spoken to have been far from it.
I love it, all he has to do is say 'idiot' and everyone completely craps bricks and can only salivate and fixate on one word, read the entire statement. Never once does he say electric cars won't be viable or won't be produced by audi. What he does say is the current technology and products only pander to a few elite. But reading more then one sentence does make scribbling trite comments a bit harder, so i can see where one might ignore everything else.
HotRodzNKustoms 11:15AM (9/14/2009)
They wanted to capture some of the idiot market by making a sports car that will get you stranded if you stray too far from home. While the idiot who buys the Volt can keep on going without a worry.
jake 1:49PM (9/14/2009)
@zamafir
Uh, talk with people driving a luxury or sports car and chances are they aren't going to be humble about their car purchase. People in general like to brag about their cars and show off. A big part of buying a car is for image. So if the eco-snobs are "idiots" (which IS a term the original article said he used), by the same token the people driving these luxury/sports cars are idiots. I don't get why someone bragging about horsepower/performance or luxury is somehow more valid than someone bragging about higher tech or eco-friendliness. Also a lot of the people I have seen who want the Volt aren't from the higher class or come from a "green" background. They like the Volt b/c it is made by an American company in the US and it allows them to use a domestic source of energy (electricity). The "idiot" comment by Audi pissed off a lot of these people; if it ended with the first half then it wouldn't have been offensive. I'm not going to say his other comments and the clarification that followed isn't valid (it made a lot of valid arguments) but calling a large group of automobile customers idiots isn't something an Audi NA President should do.
Also Tesla and Tango owners have plenty of valid reasons not to be humble, because from what I know, a lot of people are curious and walk up and ask them questions about their car. If you are going to buy one of these cars, be prepared to answer a lot of questions; this isn't for shy people who are more comfortable with an anonymous econ-box. A lot of these early adopters are buying these cars with the purpose to help jump-start the EV market, so they want to do as much promotion for the idea as possible. I don't see anything wrong with that if we are moving in the direction of electrification (which it seems we are, given the only automaker without at least a plan for a plug-in is Mazda).
zamafir 12:56AM (9/15/2009)
@jake - certainly, he shouldn't have said it, and it's the attention grabbing bit. slap him on the wrist. but it sounds like your agreeing about telsa owners, which is fine. I'm not chastising them, I'm just stating the reality of what we run into at british car events or car clubs etc.
David 5:53AM (9/15/2009)
@zamafir
You've run into a dozen Tesla and Tango owners at *UK* events?
Do tell, where? I feel like I'm missing out.
homunculus 10:57AM (9/14/2009)
i don't understand why a car that hardly needs a grille has a bigger grille than the gas burning version.
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JeremiahBWhite 11:09AM (9/14/2009)
Definitely makes that thing look fugly.
Redline 11:18AM (9/14/2009)
No love? Batteries need to be cooled too?
Rev Junkie 11:01AM (9/14/2009)
A car as heavy as the R8 shouldn't add another 600 pounds or so in batteries and other electric components. I think the best sports car to convert to an electric drivetrain is the featherweight Ariel Atom. Besides, the name is easy to think up... the Ariel Electron!
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nick 12:00PM (9/14/2009)
You may or may not already know, but it's been done. Check it out, it's called the Wrightspeed X1 not Ariel electron though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrightspeed_X1
JDM Life 11:09AM (9/14/2009)
Fugly.
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daleam 11:11AM (9/14/2009)
I kinda like it, fat blingy grille and all.
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06VistaBlueGT 11:11AM (9/14/2009)
I look at this car and say to myself, "it looks sort of familiar". Then it hit me, Its the Audi that Will Smith drove in I, Robot!!! (the design & shape anyhow).
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