In late 2018, when Audi Head of Design Marc Lichte unveiled the Audi e-tron GT concept car at the LA Motor Show, he described it as “the most beautiful car I have ever drawn”.
The launch of the final production e-tron GT was the moment when that dream – Audi's vision of an all-electric gran turismo performance car that sets new standards for design, handling, comfort and range – became reality.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, that’s also true of automotive game-changers. As Lichte himself says: “Unveiling the e-tron GT is a magic moment for the entire Audi design team. It’s the culmination of a development process that took four years – a long road with a great deal of work.” So, here – in their own words – we’ve gathered just a few tales of how Audi's obsessively passionate and pioneering team designed the e-tron GT.
To find out more, head to audi.co.uk/e-tron-gt
Style and design that sets an electrifying standard
The Audi e-tron GT reimagines four-door coupé gran turismo style for the electric age – blending an elegantly dynamic and flowing sporty profile with low-slung wide-track long-wheelbase proportions and sculpted muscular quattro wheel blisters that highlight the e-tron GT is a true Audi all-wheel-drive performance model. Optional Matrix LED headlights ensure the e-tron GT stands out in any environment. Then, as it silently accelerates away, the wide rear LED light band leaves a lasting impression.
Marc Lichte (Head of Design): “Good design is achieved when a product is aesthetic and functional at the same time; when it’s a seamless overall experience. It lies in the proportions: short overhangs and a long wheelbase, combined with a lean cabin on a powerful body. The e-tron GT features all of the above.”
Philipp Römers (Audi Design, Exterior): “A gran turismo brings to mind the beautiful cars of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. They all had the fantastic proportions you need to make a car attractive – visualising elegance, sportiness and prestige in a fantastic way. This is exactly what the Audi e-tron GT is all about.”
Marc Lichte (Head of Design): “Designing an electric vehicle means you have to rethink the whole design process, because the car is designed from the inside out. To integrate the big battery, you need a long wheelbase, which is good for the car’s proportions, and that generates wonderfully short overhangs.”
Philipp Römers (Audi Design, Exterior): “As a base to work on, the chassis of the e-tron GT has fantastic proportions – big wheels, short overhangs, a slim cabin and wide track. Our engineers developed a fantastic package that let us visualise Audi’s quattro muscles on top of all four wheels. We talk about a quattro sculpture – a pure embodiment of performance. No other car in Audi’s line-up looks like this.”
Marc Lichte (Head of Design): “An important part of Audi’s genes and DNA is quattro – and when we talk about our exterior design, we always visualise quattro. With the e-tron GT, you can see our design is getting a lot more expressive, a lot more emotional and a lot more dramatic. At Audi, we’re driven by progress, and with this spirit we are leading Audi into the future.”
Bodywork sculpted by the wind
The Audi e-tron GT is peppered with clever fins and vents that deliver improved aerodynamic efficiency for enhanced electric range. Active front air inlets close at speed to streamline the grille, while the closed underbody and wide rear diffuser work with the extendable rear spoiler to ensure the perfect balance of electric efficiency and confident long-distance cruising stability. It all adds up to an incredibly low drag coefficient of just 0.24, and an electric range of up to 298 miles (WLTP) from the 85kWh (93 kWh gross) advanced lithium-ion battery.
