It’s easy to forget that some things existed. You know, like all-day McDonald’s breakfast, Kanye West (now known as Ye), or even the Audi E-Tron GT.
The Porsche Taycan-based Audi EV has always been in its big brother’s shadow, mostly owing to the fact that the Porsche got superior hardware. And while the Taycan has filled West LA driveways as the chic EV luxury sedan of choice since its debut, the E-Tron GT seemed to struggle to grasp its market. But it was never because the Audi drove worse. It simply drove more like an Audi–Which will always struggle compared to a Porsche.
Yet Audi is sticking to its guns by comprehensively refreshing the E-Tron GT with a new battery pack, upgraded motors, and a facelift. More importantly, it’s giving the RS E-Tron GT three very important items: 912 horsepower, active suspension, and a “Performance” badge.
Ahead of the full launch later in the year, Audi tossed me the keys to the updated RS E-Tron GT Performance with a twist: I’d be spending a day with it at their ice driving academy deep in the mountains of Austria.
| Quick Specs | 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT Performance |
| Motor | Dual Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electric Motors |
| Output | 912 Horsepower / 757 Pound-Feet |
| Range | 300 Miles (mfr est.) |
| 0-60 MPH | 2.4 Seconds |
| Price | $168,295 |
Mirroring the Taycan’s updates from last year, the E-Tron GT increases range and horsepower for 2025 using an upgraded pair of motors with higher copper density in its windings, and an updated battery pack with more capacity (97 kWh versus 84 kWh) thanks to new battery chemistry.
Now, there are only two variants: The S E-Tron GT and RS E-Tron GT Performance, moving the model range away from the base-spec cars to focusing more acutely on a sporting experience. Only the RS E-Tron gets the active suspension, the exact same system from the Porsche Panamera and Taycan, which we’ve covered before.
As far as testing the Audi’s new nearly 1,000 horsepower output–That would be impossible on ice. However, I could gather valuable insight into some things that might not be immediately apparent on tarmac. Granular stuff like exactly how the RS E-Tron GT distributes torque across its two axles, how the active suspension manages its considerable weight during a slide, and how it dances beyond the limit are much easier to read on a slippery surface.
Audi set up a series of cone courses, primarily composed of slaloms and hairpins, to test the car. It wasn’t a true ice race track, but if anything, it was more challenging to navigate than a larger track, especially for the big Audi. Immediately, the power output far outstripped the available space, and all of the courses were spent treating the throttle pedal like the creaky floorboard when sneaking back into your parent’s house at 4:00 a.m.
With some delicacy and patience, the Audi responds… like an Audi.
Though the rear motor generates the lion’s share of power, around 60% overall, the E-Tron does not feel particularly rear-biased. Stability was an obvious handling tenet, with the Audi unwilling to carry a slide on-throttle, only settling for small drift angles at zero countersteer at constant-state cornering. But trying to add more angle with the throttle would only straighten the car and end the fun.
Pros: Excellent handling, nice interior, big power
Off-throttle, the Audi turned nicely with a gentle, graceful slide. Direction changes were surprisingly fast with nearly zero delay, which is where the active suspension became more apparent. It wasn’t until I stopped and thought about how well the Audi responded did I remember that it weighed just over 5,000 pounds. Its reflexes and controllability were that of a car 2,000 pounds lighter.
Yet the Audi still shined brightest when it had time to do its thing. Quicker transitions and more technical courses revealed some limitations in Audi’s tuning. Audi says that the E-Tron GT was tuned to feel “like an Audi” which for a large group of enthusiasts means one thing: Understeer. While the E-Tron did not understeer in the slightest, it would simply not encourage rotation unless you really worked for it. E-Quattro, as it's called, acts largely like Quattro in the gasoline-powered cars–Stability, stability, and more stability. Rotation on throttle is, at best, a fleeting moment before the front motor catches up.
Cons: Prioritizes stability, takes patience, needs more spice
It created situations where a bit of extra rear torque would have worked better than simply straightening the car in terms of handling, but it also killed a lot of the fun in ice driving. It was an exercise in patience rather than all-out sliding, and forced me to behave. Yes, the car was very good at being predictable and reassuring. No, it did not want to do big snow drifts, at least not without a lot of space and plenty of initial encouragement.
There was joy in the patience. Subtleties like the steering being surprisingly nice, with the wheel self-steering and tracing beautifully during transitions, lending to a feeling that slides were welcomed and noted. Overall, the talent hidden with the RS E-Tron’s chassis is commendable, and it was a lovely tool with which to confidently traverse difficult conditions.
For a particular kind of enthusiast, this will fit the bill more than a Taycan, and it is truly a lovely Audi. Though it’s tough to feel much on ice, there’s a good foundation here for an even better and more compelling RS E-Tron GT, even if the Audi engineers didn’t want me to slide like an idiot. In every way, it is a true Audi. Stable, secure, fast, and maybe a little too sterile.
Competitors
Gallery: 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT Performance Ice Driving
