Is the Audi RS e-tron GT Just a Porsche Taycan with Different Looks?

When the Audi e-tron GT first launched, many enthusiasts felt that it was just a Porsche Taycan in a different body. In this new video from The Smoking Tire, we get to see both the Audi e-tron GT and the higher-performance Audi RS e-tron GT, to see if they’re just re-badged Taycans.

First up, we get to see some highway driving in the standard car. Admittedly, not the most exciting stuff to watch but it’s how hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapman had to get to the RS e-tron GT, which was waiting for them. Still, it game them the opportunity to test the e-tron GT in the environment it’s most likely going to be used in. During their highway drive, the e-tron GT proved to be comfortable, quick, and nice to drive and, seemingly more relaxed than the Taycan.

Once in the faster Audi RS e-tron GT, they both realized just how fast it really is. They both pushed the RS e-tron GT hard in the canyons and came away very impressed by its performance. They both felt its steering lacked feel but that the car’s grip and handling on a whole was good. It’s not a Taycan, though, as it feels noticeably less connected to the road; it’s more relaxed and more of a fast GT car, versus the Taycan’s sports car feel.

They did both notice that, unless you’re really pushing it hard, it’s hard to tell the difference between the standard e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT. The regular car is already so quick that you have to really push both cars past the legal limit to notice the differences between them. Which is good for the standard car but sort of renders the much more expensive RS e-tron GT a bit useless.

One thing they both liked, though, was the fact that neither car was very in-your-face about being electric. The Audi e-tron GT, in any configuration, just feels like a very nice Audi that so happens to be electric. Which was the goal when Audi was developing it. So, to answer the question, the Audi e-tron GT doesn’t feel like a Porsche Taycan; it’s more comfortable, more relaxed, and more of a GT car; but it’s probably the standard car you’d want to buy.