Audi RS E-Tron GT: Stuck Between a Rock and a Porsche Place

TL;DR

The Audi RS E-Tron GT Performance is nearly identical to the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT but costs $50K less while being harder to justify.

Key Points

• 1.Specs and price: 912 hp, ~1,000 Nm torque, 100 kWh battery, 280-mile range, 320 kW charging, starting around $190K — reaching $200K with key options like active suspension and carbon ceramic brakes.
• 2.The facelift is massive: Over 200 hp added from the previous version, plus forged carbon fiber throughout the interior and exterior, active ride suspension, woven carbon fiber roof, and a redesigned front end.
• 3.Active ride suspension highlight: The car automatically raises a few inches when you approach and open the door, then lowers when driving — a direct copy of Porsche's electro-hydraulic system, though reviewers felt it raised slightly slower than the Taycan's.
• 4.Real-world driving: Nearly identical feel to the Taycan Turbo GT in normal driving; you only notice the ~100 hp deficit in full boost/launch control mode. Heavy weight still means braking early into corners.
• 5.Audi advantages over Taycan: Physical HVAC vents (vs. Taycan's finicky on-screen vents), physical interior buttons, distinct styling fewer people will recognize, and a carbon fiber roof not available on the Taycan Turbo GT.
• 6.The fatal problem: Used Taycan Turbo GTs are already available under $250K with low miles — meaning you can spend the same $200K and get the objectively better car, making the Audi a very tough sell.