Audi reveals the e-tron S and e-tron fastback with an industry first 3-motor powertrain

With the transition of gasoline to electric happening so rapidly, every car manufacturer wants a piece of the cake. Every company wants to be the king of a respective segment. Tesla did it for sedans and SUVs with the Model 3 and S and the pickup truck segment with the cyber track. Mercedes is also trying to get ahead in the race of luxury SUV’s with the recently spied EQS and Nissan and Hyundai trying to conquer the hatchback segment, the list goes on. Audi has also joined the race with its e-Tron and has made a shot to become the king of the performance SUV segment with their latest creation.

Audi has revealed the all-new e-Tron S and e-Tron S hatchback SUV. And while it sounds like a bigger engine version of the regular e-Tron SUV — which by the way is bound to come to India — it is much more.

Firstly talking about powertrain. Audi has made a breakthrough by being the first manufacturer to move to a three-motor setup.

It has also moved to a larger motor from the traditional rear axle to the front while there are two of the standard SUV’s smaller front motors on the S’ rear axle. The larger motor makes 169PS in Normal mode and 204PS on Boost. The two rear motors together make 266PS and 359PS (Boost). The combined power output for the S models now stands at 435PS and 808Nm. With the Boost mode engaged, this jumps to 503PS and 973Nm. The-Tron S and the e-Tron Sportback S now get from 0 to 100kmph in 4.5s and can reach a top speed of 210kmph. The standard e-Tron’s outputs are 313PS and 540Nm. This version has a 190kmph top speed and gets to 100kmph from standstill in 6.8s.

The 95 kWh battery carries from the standard e-Tron. The e-Tron S can do 360 km(WLTP) in one charge with the S Sportback adding 5 km more.

Talking about the design changes on the outside, the e-Tron S models possess strong aerodynamic qualities despite their sharper look. The models are 50mm wider than the standard e-Tron, with wheel arch extensions that are 23mm wider. Despite this, given the new flow-optimized wheel-arch extensions, the e-Tron S Sportback has a drag coefficient of 0.26 while e-Tron S manages 0.28. Subtle styling changes differentiate the e-Tron S and e-Tron S Sportback from their standard versions. They get 20-inch wheels in a five-spoke design as standard, with sizes up to 22-inches available. Also new are the new front and rear bumpers. They are heavily contoured with a diffuser insert that runs almost the full width of the vehicle The bumper is flanked by bigger and more expressive air curtains, which improve airflow. On the inside, the new models get a dark theme, sportier seats, Audi S motif, and optional carbon trim pieces.

So, what it looks like from the stats, Audi has got everything right to the last decimal. It has managed to make a sporty, fun yet utilitarian SUV. I feel it will pit very aggressively against the Mercedes EQC and Model X but we would have to wait till October because that’s the time when it will go on sale in Europe. No mention about the South Asian market has been made but if it ever comes, be ready to shed your pockets as it is estimated to cost a whopping 1.5 crores.