Report: Audi Is Preparing Their Own Mission E-Based Electric Sports Sedan

Current Audi Sport boss Stephan Winkelman has recently confirmed the brand’s plan for a full EV sports sedan model by 2021. Reports we’ve read refer to this new model as the e-Tron GT. Audi Sport – formerly known as Quattro GMBH – generally only builds the sportiest and most exciting Audis, so for them to be involved with this project seems to indicate that it will be something truly special. We’ve already heard Porsche’s vision of what the Mission E will be: A sporting sedan with a claimed 300-mile range, a 3.5-second 0-60 time, and an incredible 600 horsepower. The above image is a rendering completed by Car & Driver to give an approximation of what Audi design language will look like on the Mission E platform. I’m inclined to believe it will be even lower than this image shows.

Porsche is in the process of investing billions of dollars in electric vehicle tech, and ramping up facilities to handle Mission E (and other electric vehicle) production. It would only make sense that Porsche’s owner VW, would want to amortize that investment across as many cars as they can. Because of this, I wouldn’t find it too much of a stretch to assume that Porsche will be using that same facility to produce EV sedans, SUVs, and sports cars for their Volkswagen Group siblings. Current rumors seem to indicate that, in addition to Audi, Bentley will also be getting their own model built on Porsche’s modular Mission E platform. It wouldn’t be out of the question for Porsche to help facilitate an electric Lamborghini model as well.

Audi already teased a swoopy full-EV Sport Utility in the e-Tron Quattro concept, displayed at the Frankfurt show in 2015. There is a potential for this electric people-mover to also be platform-shared with Porsche, as well. The concept, as shown, features one electric motor for the front axle, and two additional motors to power the rear wheels. Audi claim nearly 600 lb-ft of instantaneous torque, 310 miles of range, and a 0-60 time of just 4.6 seconds. As EV tech continues to improve with time, expect those numbers to be even more impressive when the car launches.

Personally, I’m excited about the prospect of Porsche’s full-EV and plug-in Hybrid EV future models. It’s a proven way to provide extreme performance, while reducing emissions, fuel consumption, and noise. This could be an exciting new age for car enthusiasts.