Audi: RS version of electric vehicle will have distinct personality
CTOnews.com Audi Sport, Audi's high-performance division, will be 100% electrified by the end of the decade, including the launch of an all-electric supercar that inherits the fastest and most powerful fuel models available today, such as the RS3 and RS7.
Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group, said Audi would "pay more attention to the RS brand" in the coming years, adding sporty elements and more distinctive design details to its standard models, continuing the successful model of the RS E-tron GT.
The upcoming RS version of the A6 E-tron electric station wagon and Q6 E-tron crossover will be Audi Sport's first all-electric high-performance models, followed by electric alternatives to the A3, A4, A6 and A7 models, which will have exaggerated styling and powerful power.
In addition, the company is committed to ensuring that the RS logo is more than just a decorative grade. Grams says the brand is now working on "how to give the RS a special personality from a design point of view." "We think there needs to be a distinction between the regular and RS models, and that would be a unique selling point--or a signature gene in the electric world," he said. "
In addition to the differences in appearance and configuration, RS models will also differ from ordinary Audi models in driving feel and sound. On the electrification side, Grams said,"special driving patterns can be provided, a special sound can be created for the powertrain. This is what we showed in RS E-tron GT. We had sound engineers create a unique sound for RS models. These are new patents that we have to bring into our cars, into our technology. Grams did not reveal whether Audi would introduce synthetic five-cylinder or V8 sounds in the RS electric car, but the more sporty version of the RS E-tron GT emits a customized "engine" sound when accelerating to highlight its more powerful performance.
Of course, these cars don't just appeal to sound on the road, Grams says, and the torque curve and power output adjustments mean "you can even design and give electric powertrains a special characteristic-even better than gasoline cars." "That's what we learned from RS E-tron GT and the feedback we received was very positive," he said. "
CTOnews.com notes that in addition to Audi Sport, other automakers are adding more driving pleasure and personalization to their electric vehicles. Toyota's Gazoo Racing, for example, plans to mimic manual transmissions to make its electric cars more attractive and even allow them to stall due to improper operation.
