2022 Audi RS e-tron GT
HOOD RIVER, Oregon – The Columbia River Gorge formed when a glacial lake half the size of Lake Michigan repeatedly emptied during the last Ice Age. And we’re not talking about pulling the plug in a bathtub – more like setting an explosive charge at the Georgia Aquarium. An ice dam of the Clark Fork River, roughly 2,000 feet high at its maximum, would inevitably warm, catastrophically break and send a cataclysmic deluge of water toward the Pacific at 80 mph. It would then build back up and start the process all again, an estimated 40 times, eventually slicing a fjord-like gash through the Cascades over about 2,000 years – a blink of an eye in geologic terms. We’re currently on the verge of a similar reshaping of the automotive landscape, and although the widespread adoption of electric vehicles sure seems delayed and dragged out, it is happening in a relative blink of an eye. Not too long ago, Audi was trotting out TDI diesels and shoehorning Lamborghini V10s into the A6, yet here we are with the 2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT – a fully electric car that isn’t some quirky eco-mobile but legitimately one of the best cars to drive. Effectively, it’s a Porsche Taycan in Audi clothing, so that last bit shouldn’t be that surprising, but it’s nevertheless a complete package of automotive excellence that once again proves an electric future won’t be a bad thing. The RS E-Tron GT has 590 horsepower flow collectively through its front and rear electric motors, or 637 hp for a few seconds in Boost Mode. Torque remains at 612 pound-feet regardless of mode and comes on instantly – you can actually feel all four wheels slip as you plant your foot, your neck snaps back and everyone in the cars around you wonder where that blue Audi went. One could compare it to a breached dam suddenly unleashing half of Lake Michigan, but that metaphor’s already been used. Audi says it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds in Boost Mode, which is only a tenth off the more powerful Taycan Turbo. And in case you’re wondering, both the RS E-Tron GT and 464-hp E-Tron GT fall in between the Taycan 4S and Turbo in terms of total output. The Audi also gets Porsche’s unique two-speed rear transmission, which allows the E-Tron GT to go up a higher gear at 65-plus mph to improve efficiency. Also like the Taycans, the RS E-Tron GT does its most astonishing work on winding roads. The long, easy sweepers of Highway 14 on the Washington side of the Gorge provide the first real taste of an utterly unflappable car – a quick detour up Salmon Falls Road and back really drives home the point. Emphasis on quick. The E-Tron GT is long and comically wide, with a center of gravity that’s practically subterranean thanks to 93.4 kilowatts worth of battery pack and a low roof made of carbon fiber in the RS rather than glass. …
Full Review
HOOD RIVER, Oregon – The Columbia River Gorge formed when a glacial lake half the size of Lake Michigan repeatedly emptied during the last Ice Age. And we’re not talking about pulling the plug in a bathtub – more like setting an explosive charge at the Georgia Aquarium. An ice dam of the Clark Fork River, roughly 2,000 feet high at its maximum, would inevitably warm, catastrophically break and send a cataclysmic deluge of water toward the Pacific at 80 mph. It would then build back up and start the process all again, an estimated 40 times, eventually slicing a fjord-like gash through the Cascades over about 2,000 years – a blink of an eye in geologic terms. We’re currently on the verge of a similar reshaping of the automotive landscape, and although the widespread adoption of electric vehicles sure seems delayed and dragged out, it is happening in a relative blink of an eye. Not too long ago, Audi was trotting out TDI diesels and shoehorning Lamborghini V10s into the A6, yet here we are with the 2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT – a fully electric car that isn’t some quirky eco-mobile but legitimately one of the best cars to drive. Effectively, it’s a Porsche Taycan in Audi clothing, so that last bit shouldn’t be that surprising, but it’s nevertheless a complete package of automotive excellence that once again proves an electric future won’t be a bad thing. The RS E-Tron GT has 590 horsepower flow collectively through its front and rear electric motors, or 637 hp for a few seconds in Boost Mode. Torque remains at 612 pound-feet regardless of mode and comes on instantly – you can actually feel all four wheels slip as you plant your foot, your neck snaps back and everyone in the cars around you wonder where that blue Audi went. One could compare it to a breached dam suddenly unleashing half of Lake Michigan, but that metaphor’s already been used. Audi says it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds in Boost Mode, which is only a tenth off the more powerful Taycan Turbo. And in case you’re wondering, both the RS E-Tron GT and 464-hp E-Tron GT fall in between the Taycan 4S and Turbo in terms of total output. The Audi also gets Porsche’s unique two-speed rear transmission, which allows the E-Tron GT to go up a higher gear at 65-plus mph to improve efficiency. Also like the Taycans, the RS E-Tron GT does its most astonishing work on winding roads. The long, easy sweepers of Highway 14 on the Washington side of the Gorge provide the first real taste of an utterly unflappable car – a quick detour up Salmon Falls Road and back really drives home the point. Emphasis on quick. The E-Tron GT is long and comically wide, with a center of gravity that’s practically subterranean thanks to 93.4 kilowatts worth of battery pack and a low roof made of carbon fiber in the RS rather than glass. …
Hide Full Review
Hide Full Review
Retail Price
$142,400 - $142,400
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | |
| MPG | Up to 79 city / 82 highway |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | 2-spd auto |
| Power | 590 @ rpm |
| Drivetrain | quattro all wheel |
| Curb Weight | 5,139 lbs |
Smart Buy Program is powered by 
