When you close your eyes and think of the future of mobility, what do you see? If its electric vehicles taking up more space on our roads, you’d be correct. But as the world moves towards conscious consumption, Audi’s decision to launch six fully electric e-tron models at once suggests that the future is now.
When the invite came to be part of Audi’s Night of Progress, I grabbed it with both hands. After all, who would turn down an opportunity to be a part of such a monumental moment in South Africa’s electric motoring history? I packed my bags and made my way to Cape Town.
Audi’s family of e-trons were precisely parked in formation in front of the Zeitz MOCAA Museum, gleaming in the afternoon sun. Looking at the sublime sight of these cars from my hotel room, I felt a surge of excitement for what was in store, and the evening did not disappoint.
The first thing that struck me about the range was how amazing the vehicles looked. Every one of the cars was eye-catching and not in a weird ‘what on earth is that?’ kind of way. Audi has long been at the forefront of designing concept cars that translates very well in the real world, such as the RSQ concept car in the 2004 Sci-Fi movie, Robot, which felt like a sneak peak of the Audi R8.
The e-tron range is the perfect combination of luxury and performance and every detail has been well thought through, with the aim of delivering a driving experience brimming with emotion. Simply put, these cars were clearly designed to turn heads and I know this because I experienced it first-hand.
As I hopped into the driver’s seat of the 440 kW Audi RS e-tron GT in my cocktail dress and high heels, with the towering silos of the Zeitz MOCAA in the background, I felt like the lead character in a spy thriller.
Aware of the power of the car I was about to drive, I was half expecting to hear a rumble as it started up, but nothing. I stopped to ask the gentleman holding the door open if the car was on and then I remembered it was an electric car.
“Really Liesl,” I said to myself out loud, much to his amusement. As I made my way out of the Waterfront precinct along the designated route, I was overcome with the urge to drive the car like a lead character in a spy thriller… and so I did.
I pulled up to a traffic light and the guy standing at the light shouted, “Nice car ma’am.” I smiled, the light turned green, and I floored the accelerator. Not only was this car beautiful, it was also insanely responsive. As I picked up speed, there was a light hum from the engine vaguely reminiscent of the sound of a jet engine.
Before I knew it, I found myself back outside the Zeitz MOCCAA dropping off the car. I got out and the gentleman holding the car door open asked: “How was it?” For the first time in a long time, I was speechless. I can only imagine what my face looked like because he laughed and continued: “Have you tried the SUV?”
He was right. A ‘mom car’ was more my speed, but I will never stop dreaming about being the owner of an Audi RS e-tron GT.
The Audi RS e-tron GT at a glance
The power delivery that the Audi RS e-tron GT² offers, with its fully electric quattro all-wheel drive is impressive. With an electric drive on both the front and rear axles, it can deliver up to 440kW of power.
In the Audi RS e-tron GT², everything is focused on the functional centre of the interior – the driver’s position. The sculptural design unites the dynamic proportions of a gran turismo, with the unmistakeable characteristics of an Audi RS model.
Striking accents mark its key features. For instance, the vehicle’s low centre of gravity becomes visible thanks to accentuated sills and the long wheelbase.
The boldly sculpted shoulder line and the distinctive rear diffuser give it an impressive strength. The gently sloping roofline that extends well into the rear of the Audi RS e-tron GT² expresses the vehicle’s urgency to move forward even while stationary.
Price: R3 300 000
This article first appeared in Destiny Issue 4 2022.
