‘Audi is in my blood’ - Autocar readers share their Audi stories and electric e-tron driving impressions

Nigel Hewitt “Watching the quattro on the rally stages when I was younger made me dream of driving it one day. I’ve also always wanted to own an RS2, it’s one of my favourites – design, colour, Porsche involvement, everything about it.”

Ian Malley: “I’ve had Audi products for the last 27 years and am now on my ninth car overall and my sixth RS model. I have this emotional connection to the brand in some respects – they’re just brilliant cars.”

Trevor Mudd: “We have three Audis: a 1.8-litre TT from 2000, a V8 S4 cabriolet, and for our daily driver we’ve got an A5 Sportback. So we’re the ultimate Audi family at the moment.”

Chris Simpson: “I daily a 2021 3.0-litre Q7. I've also got an S8 from 2002 and 4.2-litre V8  A8 from 1997. I’ve just bought a 2004 V8 S4 cabriolet from 2004, and hidden away in a garage is an old quattro Sport from 1990. So, yeah – I’m into my Audis.”

What does Vorsprung durch Technik mean to you?

Earlier this year, we travelled to Audi’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, to find out what Vorsprung durch Technik means to the brand’s top designers and engineers on a more personal level. We asked our guests at Vorsprung durch Technik Live the same question.

Aryan Malakzi: "The slogan Vorsprung durch Technik – it’s always been around, hasn’t it? Even if you don’t know what it means, you know it’s Audi. It sticks in your head and it’s got weight to it."

Gergo Horvath: “For me, Vorsprung durch Technik represents Audi's relentless pursuit of innovation, cutting-edge technology, and superior driving dynamics. It's the perfect blend of performance, luxury, and progress. A true Audi fan's heart beats just like the iconic rhythm of Audi's four-stroke heartbeat!”

Nicholas Chapman: “It’s about using technology to move each new model generation ahead and keep it relevant against ever increasing competition.”

Elliot Stockwell: “I certainly relate to it. Having been an Audi owner over many years and experiencing how the brand has developed through successive cars.”

Jo Abbott: “For me, it’s that search for excellence. Always looking for progress and innovation – I think that sums it up perfectly.”

Robert Prince: “Vorsprung durch Technik means the depth and quality of engineering in the product and the design. You can still feel the heritage and innovation, even in the electric models. Driving my RS e-tron GT, it feels like a four-seater electric R8.”

Tiago Pereira: “It's amazing how he can go all the way from rotary to five-pot to electric and still keep a lineage. I think that’s Vorsprung durch Technik, you know – always innovating, but keeping true to themselves. I think that's quite cool.”

Audi e-tron driving impressions

At Vorsprung durch Technik Live, guests got the opportunity to drive several of Audi’s all-electric e-tron model range, to see what Vorsprung durch Technik looks and feels like in Audi’s electric era. The lineup included the Q4 e-tron, new Q6 e-tron, new A6 e-tron Avant and the RS e-tron GT – Audi’s most powerful car ever. Needless to say, there was plenty of demand for that one…

Michael Parker: “Oh, the RS e-tron GT is an absolutely stunning car. The handling alone is just insane. And the power… You put your foot down, and it just goes from naught to… God only knows what speed. I haven’t driven an electric car before – just a lot of hybrids – so it was a completely new experience for me. Seeing stuff online, I expected it to be fast, but feeling the car pull you into the seat? That’s something else.”

Ben Strickland “It was my first time driving an electric car. I drove the RS e-tron GT and then the Q6. I thought there were going to be plenty of things I wasn’t going to like, like the lack of sound from the engine, but it just blew me away. The cockpit, the materials – I've seen pictures of the new Audi style steering wheel and wasn't sure about how that would be, but it just felt right straight away. Absolutely blown away.”

Trevor Mudd: “This was my first time in an electric car of any sort. I went out in the Q6 first and felt the acceleration immediately – it’s there straight away when you need it. Then we swapped into the RS e-tron GT, and the acceleration was mind-blowing. Am I converted to electric? Definitely by that one. I’ll never forget it.”

Aryan Malakzi: I have driven electric before, but unlike other electric cars I’ve driven which can feel quite plasticky and almost like a toy car, these Audis just feel like… Audis. It’s a generational thing where I think the feeling has been carried over from the last iteration of cars to these. The tech side really called out to me, too. I love how the screens are curved towards the driver, the virtual mirrors in the A6, the sunroof shading when you press a button. It’s really exciting stuff.