It goes without saying that the latest crop of electric performance cars on the market are absolutely extreme, and when extreme is the new norm, how do you wow customers? By going up to twelve, of course. For 2025, the Audi RS e-tron GT performance is the top-dog electric Audi, and while it features some absolutely incredible output, we do wish someone paid closer attention to copywriting for the press release.
Here’s the big headline figure everyone’s looking for: 912 horsepower. Yes, this means that the RS e-tron GT performance is the most powerful production Audi of all time, and that massive power figure makes for a minuscule zero-to-60 mph time. Audi claims this hi-po model will do the dash in just 2.4 seconds, and it’s taken some serious revisions to get there.
There’s more copper in the rear motor’s stator, the front motor is fed by a new inverter capable of handling 600 amps, the rear motor is 22 pounds lighter than before, and the new hardware is also good for 400 kW of regenerative braking, translating to 0.45 g of deceleration force.
Then there’s the battery pack. Out goes the old 93.4 kWh pack and in goes a 105 kWh pack. Despite a 12 percent increase in energy capacity, the new battery pack weighs 25 pounds less than the old one thanks to leaning on improved cell chemistry. At the same time, thermal management has been substantially improved with a new battery cooling plate, and the peak DC fast charging current jumps from 270 kW to 320 kW. Not only does the 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT promise to go like the Dickens, it promises to charge quickly, too.
Of course, power is nothing without control, so Audi’s gone to work on the handling of the RS e-tron GT performance too. It now sports two-chamber two-valve air springs similar to its platform-mate the Porsche Taycan, and a quicker steering ratio of 14.3:1 if the box for four-wheel steering is ticked. Add in the option of fully active hydraulic suspension like what’s available on the Porsche Taycan, and the Audi seems like a promising alternative for those who want four rings on the nose.
In addition to face-melting performance, there are many cosmetic additions listed in the press release for the RS e-tron GT Performance including…*squints*…you know what, I’ll bold this just in case you miss it.
A tribute to the 1994 Audi Avant RS 2, where the analog dials also came in white, the RS e-tron GT performance also features a white Power Meter and speedometer as a special digital feature.
Huh. Talk about words that should never ever go together. Especially if you’re a German automaker because, you know, history. Whoever wrote this on their third coffee of the morning probably didn’t mean it like that. I hope. Someone needs to check.
Oh, and just in case this seems like a bit, here’s a screengrab from Audi’s U.S. media site. I’ve shrunk it down for better viewing on mobile, but when you tap the link and bring it up on desktop, the line break occurs right after the ‘and’ which definitely isn’t ideal.
The 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT performance features white gauges. I think. I really hope. That’s a much better way of phrasing it than the way Audi put it. It’s no secret that we live in divided times, tensions are high, and the Overton Window is getting weird, but let’s not let slip anything that can be misconstrued in such a manner.
Anyway, if you’re in the market for an incredibly quick electric sedan that isn’t one of the existing top-dog options on the market, the 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT starts at $168,295 including freight. Obviously, that’s in the upper echelon of sedans, but with this level of performance, that sort of pricing can be justified. Expect it to roll into showrooms soon.
(Photo credits: Audi)
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I mean, they already decided to call a car e-tron, why not go full-on bad choices (for reference, the people right across the Rhine river read it as étron: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/%C3%A9tron ).
I heard that the startup chime is the “Horst Wessel march”.
They’re flexing about saving a few kilos here and there when this beast weighs 6300 lbs!
Those poor tires, it’s kind of crazy the amount of “sports cars” that are available that weigh more than my 2014 Tundra.
Colin would be appalled.
They also dressed it in black which is slimming, so I hear.
Adrian might be proud.
Every time I read ‘e-tron’, I think of Ken Block again
I have to think their PR team was used in crash testing.
https://youtu.be/xditX9_DVEc?si=YSSrqQJsHwxU8m0d
Of course, I am sure they didn’t mean anything by it.
https://youtu.be/_GPEzKp8Tns?si=weydXc-PBT6iyo7V
I mean, the VW group was founded in 1937, with the blessing and support of he who should not be named. Just random history for context.
Social gaffes aside, it really is handsome. I do like how unfussy it looks. No gaping pointless air ducts or weird body transitions that go nowhere. The headlight and transition to nose/lower dam is CLEAN.
The ass-end is low and wide, some air management exists, but it’s not prominent or out of place.
Audi design really demonstrates (to me at least) that less is more. No angry headlights, no flame surfacing that’s been flame surfaced, no weird lines that leave you scratching you head as to why it’d be shaped that way. I’m sure many would say it’s boring and derivative, but I see NOTHING wrong with being subtle and handsome.
Shame it will be a tremendous shop queen. If only I had FY money to piss away on something this handsome, I’d totally have one. Well, I guess get two so at least you’ll always have one that works.
To be honest, I did Nazi that coming…
Well, Aryan’t you clever?
I guess they had to catch up to Mercedes with their Master Race mode
Well it’s better than this…..ever wonder what the WP in WP suspension is short for?
“White Power” Suspension – not a political statement, but an allusion to the striking white springs used for his products. Yet this colour choice is as iconic as it is pragmatic. The only coater in Peter’s home country, Malden in the Netherlands, makes hospital beds. These are typically white – and so will Peter’s springs.
Welp, now we know how Audi dies…
“the new hardware is also good for 400 kW of regenerative braking, translating to 0.45 g of deceleration force.”
Does that mean these regen brakes can handle even high speed emergency racetrack braking alone?
Apparently 0.45g is the DOT standard for “harsh” braking, probably why the regen stops there, and that level of braking has been compared to an aggressive NYC cab ride. So it can probably handle traffic but maybe not an emergency stop on the interstate. Apparently high powered street sports cars can generate around 1.5g and F1 cars can go up to 5g. Probably more if aero braking were allowed and drivers could remain conscious.
I said apparently twice, my kingdom for an edit function!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5TGN7eUcM
If we assume a 60-0mph distance of 120ft, which is very achievable by average cars on Motorweek’s (rubbered-in?) drag strip testing facility, we get:
60mph = 26.82m/s
120ft = 36.57m
(26.82^2 – 0)/(2*36.57) = 9.83m/s^2 ≈ 1.0G
So using their claimed 0.45G estimate, that’d be only about half of what’s needed to lock the wheels.
However, acceleration is not constant with constant power, and vice versa, for example if we want to decelerate from 180-120mph vs 120-60mph vs 60-0mph with only regen:
1000W = 1kW = 1000J/s = 1kJ/s
400kW = 400kJ/s
’24 e-tron GT weight = 5171lb = 2345kg
120mph = 53.64m/s
kinetic energy @180mph = 7591kJ
KE @120mph = 3374kJ
KE @60mph = 843.4kJ
(7591-3374)/400 = 10.54s
180-120mph accel = 26.82/10.54 = 2.54m/s^2 ≈ 0.26g avg
(3374-843.7)/400 = 6.33s
120-60mph accel = 26.82/6.33 = 4.23m/s^2 ≈ 0.43g avg
843.7/400 = 2.11s
60-0mph accel = 26.82/2.11 = 12.7m/s^2 ≈ 1.29g avg
As you can see, the effect of regen braking is not constant and falls off as we increase speed. In addition, that 1.29g number for 60-0mph is not attainable in real life, not only due to tire grip limitations but also because the amount of regen power (and thus braking force) a motor can provide squares with speed; this means that below a certain speed, the motors cannot provide the 400kW the battery can take.
Thanks for the maths. I’ve got my own to add:
From this reference we get the following:
Audi E-Tron GT RS Braking distance:
050 kph – 009 m (29 ft) = 1.09G
100 kph – 033 m (108 ft) = 1.19G
120 kph – 050 m (166 ft) = 1.13G
130 kph – 058 m (192 ft) = 1.14G
140 kph – 068 m (222 ft) = 1.17G
150 kph – 076 m (250 ft) = 1.07G
200 kph – 136 m (447 ft) = 1.16G
Using these numbers, Audi’s and yours I estimate the regen is capable of:
050-000 kph ~ 2.51G ave
100-050 kph ~ 0.83G ave
120-100 kph ~ 0.56G ave
130-120 kph ~ 0.50G ave
140-130 kph ~ 0.46G ave
150-140 kph ~ 0.43G ave
161-150 kph ~ 0.40G ave
200-161 kph ~ 0.34G ave
So when one slams the brakes at expressway speeds and below the 400 kW limit can handle it (whether its set up to do so is another matter) but more than that the friction brakes are needed to reach the posted numbers.
Hey, they out-Elon-Musk’ed JaGUar this week. Good work! 😉
If this had autonomous driving Clayton Bigsby could be a buyer https://youtu.be/BLNDqxrUUwQ?si=2kOtsJl5F6vf13xD
Is it measured in Reichs ?
Too soon. Still too soon.
This is car world. A lot is forgiven. I can buy a black midget at an auction that keeps blowing tranny’s and no car person would be upset. House listing changed from master bedroom to primary, but cars don’t change My car not only has a master cylinder, but it still has the slave cylinder.
The master vs slave thing bugs the hell out of me. When people get upset about it when used to reference objects, it feels like they really lack the ability to draw distinctions between people and objects. Slavery of humans is bad, because humans are living thinking beings with rights. Your brake system has no feelings, it does not care what it’s cylinders are designated, and implying that it does is really just dragging humans down to the level of objects.
Ding! Just clicked. We’ve been touring new houses with our young adult son and noticed they call out ‘primary’ bedroom and ‘ensuite’ bathrooms. I teased my wife they call it ‘ensuite’ to sound fancy…guess not only reason.
Analog dials listed as a feature on a premium vehicle. We truly have come full circle and I’m here for it.
I bet those analog dials are displayed as graphics on an LED screen….
And bumpers that actually make contact with other bumpers are body-colored while wheel wells are rimmed with black, impact-resistant cladding.
The boys in Ingolstadt should really take a serious look at putting phrasing back in the rotation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHFl1z24KuY
I assume this will be the basis for the next presidential limo?
It’s going to be real awkward when you pick up your Grandma for brunch and the White Power Meter is pegging red line.
The etron has always been pretty good looking but man, that thing is gorgeous. Can’t wait to buy one for pocket lint in 5 years.
I don’t really have an eye for car design, so all I see is a sedan that would require a hoyer lift to get me out of it. Glad you like it though, and yeah, the depreciation will be amazing.
The (certified pre-owned) car of your dreams.
At least since it’s an EV there are no KKK turbos.
The catback I bought for my FRS back in 2014 was made by ISIS performance. They changed the name shortly after my purchase, for some reason….
For the rest of November, Audi will add 14.88% to your trade-in at the Great Replacement sales event.
Wow. This line of thinking was on my mind but I knew I wasn’t gonna top this. Excellent (if risky!) work!
Funny, I thought Tesla would of had a white power option first, seeing its owned by MagaManboy Musk.
Hahaha one of the best headlines ever. Hope there’s a Tales from the Slack on this one
I can see David sweating