New Audi E-tron S and E-tron S Sportback arrive as hot electric SUVs

Audi’s expanding electric car range has gained its first performance models, with the Audi E-tron S and E-tron S Sportback detailed ahead of UK orders opening later this summer. 

Priced from £87,000 for the standard SUV and £88,700 for the Sportback, the two range-topping variants are claimed to be the first volume-production cars to use three electric motors. Two are mounted on the rear axle and one sits at the front.

The result is 496bhp and a stout 718lb ft of torque, although these peak figures are available for only 8sec boost periods. The cars dispatch 0-62mph in 4.5sec and have a 130mph top speed. 

The trio of motors don’t just improve straight-line pace but are also used to provide an electric torque-vectoring function. In normal driving modes, just the rear motors operate and torque is sent to each wheel via a single-speed transmission.

In dynamic driving modes or when full power is requested, the front motor activates. It can also predictively activate when slip is detected and decelerate the inside front wheel on a bend to prevent traction losses. Audi claims the S models can perform “controlled drifts” due to a more rear-biased power delivery than the standard car. 

The E-tron S and E-tron S Sportback are powered by a 95kWh battery, with respective claimed ranges of 223 miles and 226 miles on the WLTP cycle. That's around 50 miles less than the most range-efficient E-tron 55 models. 

Audi has also tuned the models’ adaptive air suspension specifically for the S variants. The ride height can be varied by up to 76mm depending on driving situation or mode, and progressive steering can increase directness. The brakes are also uprated to six-piston calipers at the front.

Aerodynamic revisions for the S variants include airflow-optimised wheel-arch extensions, which contribute to a drag coefficient of just 0.26 on the Sportback. There’s also a controllable air inlet to cool the brakes that only opens when necessary.