Audi reveals new e-tron Vision Gran Turismo

Audi has so far confirmed three battery propelled e-tron models: the e-tron quattro, the e-tron Sportback and e-tron GT. 

The e-tron quattro, a Telsa Model X-rivalling SUV, and e-tron Sportback, a high riding five-door liftback, are planned to be produced at the company’s plant in Brussels, Belgium, with the former set to go on sale during the second half of 2018.

The more exclusive e-tron GT is set to roll out from a dedicated production line being established at Audi Sport division’s showcase Bollinger Hof factory in Neckarsulm, Germany, with the first customer deliveries planned for 2020.

Backing up claims that the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo could one day see production are comments from senior Audi officials that it represents more than a mere concept. 

“Although the design of a virtual vehicle allows greater freedom and the creation of concepts which are hard to implement in reality, we did not want to put a purely fictitious concept on wheels," says Audi design boss, Marc Lichte. 

Lichte, who has headed the design team working on Audi’s upcoming range of all-electric e-tron models, says the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo incorporates numerous elements of a new Audi design language, including the inverted coloured keyed single-frame grille to be featured on new e-tron models.

Drawing on technology used by the ultra-low-volume R8 e-tron as well as the three upcoming e-tron production models, the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo is powered by three electric motors - one sited up front providing drive to the front wheels and two at the rear driving the individual rear wheels - each with 200kW, or 268bhp. 

The electric motors used by the new supercar are based on the production unit set to be unveiled in the upcoming production version of the Audi e-tron quattro. Developed in-house at Audi parent company, Volkswagen, they are produced at its plant in Kassel, Germany. 

Altogether, the three electric motors provide a combined 805bhp - sufficient, according to Audi, to provide its new 1450kg coupe with a power-to-weight ratio of 555bhp per tonne.

No official torque figure for the new Audi prototype has been revealed, though officials from Audi’s pre-production workshop have revealed to Autocar the trio of electric motors deliver more than 1000Nm, which translates to over 737 lb ft.

With a specially developed quattro four-wheel drive system providing variable drive distribution between the front and rear axles as well as the individual rear wheels, the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo is claimed to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 2.5sec.

By comparison, the 1840kg R8 e-tron, which was revealed in definitive production guise at the 2015 Geneva motor show prior to being dropped from the line-up after an unspecified production run, boasted two electric motors acting on the rear wheels with a  combined 455bhp and 678lb ft.

Audi is yet to provide details to the battery used by the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo, although Autocar has been told it shares its technology with the lithium-ion unit planned to appear in the production version of the e-tron quattro due out later this year. 

Among those Audi has chosen to drive the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo on the sidelines of Formula E races is former DTM race driver Rahel Frey and Le Mans victor Dindo Capello.