Despite the Porsche’s head start on the Australian market, Audi is confident in its emissions-free grand tourer
As Audi’s second pure-electric vehicle to land in Australia, the E-tron GT is now the flagship of the local arm’s range, starting from $180,200 before on-road costs.
Considering that the R8 supercar was dropped from the Australian line-up over homologation regulations earlier this year, the blisteringly fast RS E-tron GT comes in as somewhat of a spiritual successor.
Considering that European deliveries started for this E-tron GT back in March of 2021, and then our trans-Tasman neighbours in New Zealand got it in August last year, unfortunate timing has meant that Audi Australia is starting out on the back foot with this one.
Despite this, the brand is still confident in its all-electric grand tourer, with Audi Australia Managing Director Jeff Mannering stating that sales of the E-tron GT should be in the same ballpark as the Porsche Taycan.
When asked about how many E-tron GTs are expected to be delivered this year, Mannering was diplomatic in his response, but was clear on the goal.
“As many as we can. It’ll be in the hundreds. Now, whether it’s closer to 1000, or closer to the smaller hundreds, it’ll be several 100,” Mannering said.
Though Mannering wasn’t willing to comment on whether or not the E-tron GT was expected to outdo the Porsche Taycan, with which the E-tron GT shares a platform, his answer of several hundred units should leave it with similar success.
Since its introduction in 2020, the Porsche Australia has been able to deliver between 430 and 530 Taycans each year. It’s also worth noting that a lot of these sales were before Porsche had an eight-strong Taycan grade line-up as it does currently.
Audi’s E-tron GT line-up currently consists of two models, including the base GT, and the range-topping RS E-tron GT which starts at $248,200.
As far as a sales split goes between these two models, Mannering predicts that the majority of buyers would gravitate towards the RS E-tron GT.
“We’re pretty confident, well, exceptionally confident that it’s going to be a high mix of RS.
“I can’t say the exact percentage, I reckon it would be more than 50 percent,” he added.
Peter Strudwicke, a Product Planner at Audi Australia, echoed Mannering’s predictions, stating that on the order front, stating that there had “been a great, well above 50 percent take up” of the RS model.
Audi E-Tron GT: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
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