In late 2018, when Audi Head of Design Marc Lichte unveiled the Audi e-tron GT concept car at the LA Motor Show, he described it as “the most beautiful car I have ever drawn”.
The launch of the final production e-tron GT was the moment when that dream – Audi's vision of an all-electric gran turismo performance car that sets new standards for design, handling, comfort and range – became reality.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, that’s also true of automotive game-changers. As Lichte himself says: “Unveiling the e-tron GT is a magic moment for the entire Audi design team. It’s the culmination of a development process that took four years – a long road with a great deal of work.” So, here – in their own words – we’ve gathered just a few tales of how Audi's obsessively passionate and pioneering team designed the e-tron GT.
To find out more, head to audi.co.uk/e-tron-gt
Style and design that sets an electrifying standard
The Audi e-tron GT reimagines four-door coupé gran turismo style for the electric age – blending an elegantly dynamic and flowing sporty profile with low-slung wide-track long-wheelbase proportions and sculpted muscular quattro wheel blisters that highlight the e-tron GT is a true Audi all-wheel-drive performance model. Optional Matrix LED headlights ensure the e-tron GT stands out in any environment. Then, as it silently accelerates away, the wide rear LED light band leaves a lasting impression.
Marc Lichte (Head of Design): “Good design is achieved when a product is aesthetic and functional at the same time; when it’s a seamless overall experience. It lies in the proportions: short overhangs and a long wheelbase, combined with a lean cabin on a powerful body. The e-tron GT features all of the above.”
Philipp Römers (Audi Design, Exterior): “A gran turismo brings to mind the beautiful cars of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. They all had the fantastic proportions you need to make a car attractive – visualising elegance, sportiness and prestige in a fantastic way. This is exactly what the Audi e-tron GT is all about.”
Marc Lichte (Head of Design): “Designing an electric vehicle means you have to rethink the whole design process, because the car is designed from the inside out. To integrate the big battery, you need a long wheelbase, which is good for the car’s proportions, and that generates wonderfully short overhangs.”
Philipp Römers (Audi Design, Exterior): “As a base to work on, the chassis of the e-tron GT has fantastic proportions – big wheels, short overhangs, a slim cabin and wide track. Our engineers developed a fantastic package that let us visualise Audi’s quattro muscles on top of all four wheels. We talk about a quattro sculpture – a pure embodiment of performance. No other car in Audi’s line-up looks like this.”
