Amazingly, despite having such power, the car feels incredibly controllable and not intimidating in the least. Clear and authentic throttle response, together with excellent brake feel and a good level of off-centre steering feel help the prodigious 1,027Nm of torque feel manageable. This is thanks to a superb new active suspension system that’s standard on this Performance Vorsprung model, and a hefty £6,710 option on others.
Without going into too much technical detail, this new suspension system uses electronically controlled hydraulic dampers to infinitely control the body’s movements. This means the Audi does without traditional anti-roll bars, and while it is still on air-springs, the dampers allow it to react far more quickly to dips in the road, or indeed, the extraordinary effects of so much performance on the chassis.
The benefits are clear from the moment you drive away, because the set-up keeps the body incredibly stable, increasing the feeling of agility and engagement. But in the real world, this yields astonishing ride quality, with almost unbelievable softness and comfort, without ever feeling out of control or sloppy.
It’s uncanny; the e-tron glides over horrible road conditions without anyone in the cabin being aware of them. Other than when you hit particularly sharp bumps, which resonate though the wheel rim, rather than the suspension, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish this and hovering over the surface on a cushion of air.