Yes, Audi has given its fully electric E-tron the “S” treatment, creating a hot three-motor crossover with 370 kW and a towering 973 N.m.
The new E-Tron S will be offered in both the standard body style and sleeker Sportback form, becoming what Audi describes as the “first volume production” electric vehicles to employ a trio of electric motors.
The Ingolstadt-based firm says the performance of the newcomers “more than befits the badge”, with the sprint from standstill to 100 km/h taking around 4,5 seconds (the aforementioned peak outputs are on offer for “eight-second boost periods”). Top speed, meanwhile, is listed as 210 km/h.
The new S models are equipped with a pair of electric motors on the rear axle plus one at the front. The battery has a gross energy capacity of 95 kWh (86 kWh is available), resulting in a claimed range of 359 km in the case of the standard body style and 364 km for the Sportback variant.
Interestingly, each of the rear electric motors sends its torque directly to the respective wheel via a single-speed transmission. Audi says the new powertrain arrangement has a “more pronounced” rear bias than the standard E-tron, while the S models featuring a “cornering attitude” that is “even more adjustable” in the sportiest setting (Audi even mentions “controlled drifts” in its press material).
The E-Tron S and E-tron S Sportback feature Audi Sport-tuned suspension setups and ride on larger alloys than the standard models. Their wheel arches, meanwhile, are each some 23 mm wider, while the front and rear bumpers are model-specific, too.
