The latest electrified option from the Audi stable is a special one. Equal parts sultry and speed, the 2022 RS E-Tron GT is worthy of praise – perhaps even more than its universally loved Taycan Turbo cousin. In Motor1.com’s latest YouTube review, we spend the day attacking canyon roads in the RS E-Tron GT to see what it’s really made of.

As Brett T. Evans points out in his first drive of the car, the RS E-Tron GT shares most of its underpinnings with the Porsche Taycan Turbo. Both cars use a 93.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and in the Audi’s case, 637 horsepower runs to all four wheels. The company says 0-60 miles per hour happens in 3.1 seconds, but with warm tires and the right conditions, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it go sub-three. Above every other sensation experienced behind the wheel, the acceleration is hands-down the hallmark feature. Few cars have ever moved like this.

2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT: Video Review
2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT: Video Review

When the straight-line blasts end and the corners begin, the E-Tron keeps its composure in a way that an RS car should. It’s easy to carry substantial speed through corners with only slight adjustments necessary in throttle input – the limiting factor is the EV-spec tires, which give up grip before you want them to. We wish the steering communicated better and felt heavier, but otherwise, the car is a joy to drive hard.

Inside the cabin, the Audi is refreshingly scaled back. Instead of supplemental screens to work the HVAC system, there are real, physical buttons that work perfectly – and not too many of them thankfully. With this test car’s Year One package included, just about everything is decked out in carbon fiber or Alcantara which makes it feel dressed up, but without trying too hard.

The RS E-Tron GT sets up an exciting electric future for Audi performance cars and confirms that with VW Group’s expertise in platform sharing, it still feels unique from its mechanically similar stablemate, the Taycan. This is the best E-Tron product yet, and we can’t wait to see where things go from here.

Gallery: 2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT: First Drive

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