Driven: Audi e-tron Spyder - First Drive

In what has become somewhat of an annual tradition, Audi let us drive one of its exciting concept cars. In this latest case, it’s the e-tron Spyder, which we could drive gently along a meandering section of Southern California’s famed Mulholland Highway—with a police escort to keep me from running off with this priceless one-off! Beside me, though, was Uwe Haller, the e-tron’s Project Manager and Engineer responsible for Audi Showcars.

With a few runs up and down the mountain, I experienced a car that goes against the grain of development mules and other production-oriented test cars. The e-tron Spyder is wholly unique, with no plans to be anything other than a show car. Its aluminum frame is hand-made with commonly available aluminum extrusions. It does borrow a floorpan from an Audi R8, but there are no cast-aluminum pieces. Its shapely body and interior are formed with carbon fiber and hung on the hand-fabricated aluminum space frame—its interior and ergonomics are pure designer whim. Surprisingly I found the seats comfortable, and the driving ergonomics fitting to my 6-ft.-tall, 200-lb. frame. The e-tron’s open dash, which has no center column, has a classic look that reminds me of an older sports car design, and something I find aesthetically pleasing. Amazingly, the entire car was built in six months—two months for the chassis and body, two months for the Drivetrain, plus a final two months to make it all “mostly” work together.

Before driving the car I looked at it and pondered what Audi is trying to tell us with this concept. Show cars rarely live up to their printed claims and specifications, and I’m always impressed when they become anything but a clay model. That Audi is building these running concepts, and trusts us with them, is impressive.

The specs of this Audi e-tron hybrid concept are a bit unusual. The car is essentially a mid-engine short wheelbase Audi R8, its engine a longitudinally mounted 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6. Although the specs call for a 300-bhp twin-turbo TDI V-6 and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, the execution of the concept was kept simpler. A glimpse under the bonnet reveals a single turbo mounted up high behind the engine and above the transaxle, which in this case contains a CVT. This was done for integration simplicity says Uwe, and a production version of this drivetrain would surely use the dual-clutch unit. Making the concept an awd hybrid is an electric drive system on the front axle. Each front wheel is driven by its own air-cooled electric motor, thus negating the need for a front differential and allowing for torque vectoring. Power comes from an air-cooled 9.1-kWh battery. The electric propulsion allowed us to travel up to 30 km/h before kicking over the TDI to power the rear wheels. It worked, but it’s not on a par with production integration levels. It’s what I’d call “show-car acceptable."

Although limited to relatively low speeds, the e-tron Spyder drove surprisingly well. Its pure electric assist steering was numb, but its overall dynamics felt like a Porsche Boxster’s more than an Audi TT’s. Massive 22-in. rims with 245/30-20 and 265/30-20 Michelin Pilot Sport tires gave it ample grip and a precise feel. The chassis itself was stiff, and I heard minimal squeaks and rattles on the smooth road. Around tight bends the Spyder felt small and nimble, with easily seen corners, and an open cabin that makes a Boxster seem tight.

So what does this e-tron concept reveal about Audi’s future? If it’s not a car that’s going to be made, what’s the point? This: Electrification of the automobile is coming, and Audi is simply investigating it in a sporty car of these proportions. We’ve called it the Audi R4, but the R4 name belongs to Renault, so it’ll be called something else.

It’s clear that Audi is deciphering how it will adapt the new electrification technology, and the e-tron Spyder concept is an excellent example of how the company can fuse performance, driving enjoyment, style, and fuel economy into one package. I look forward to driving the results.