Electric Audi E-Tron specs not as it seems

Electric Audi E-Tron specs not as it seems

Audi E-Tron Electric Concept
Audi unveiled their new R8-based E-Tron electric concept supercar at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, claiming that it produces a whopping 4500 Nm of torque. It became big news because today’s supercars barely break 1000 Nm on the spec sheet. But a U.S. car magazine investigated further and found out it was all bull.

According to Automobile magazine, Audi was quoting torque measured at the wheels, not at the output shaft. Torque at the output shaft is the industry standard, and used by every other manufacturer. Measuring torque at the wheels takes “the multiplication effect of the transmission and final drive gears into account.” The result of this are torque figures that are ten times of what they would be at the crank.

By Audi’s measure, this would mean that cars like a 3.6-litre V6-powered Chevrolet Malibu also have around 4500 Nm of torque. In reality, the magazine estimates that the E-Tron makes about 341 Nm of torque, less than even a Toyota Prado V6.

Apparently the electric R8 is headed for production, likely with a revised spec-sheet after this embarrassment. After the tirade by Audi’s U.S. boss about electric cars, it makes one wonder what else goes on behind the curtains at Audi.

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Comments

  1. LMAO! Audi got PWNED by tht mag! hahahaa! That was just stupid on Audi’s part!

  2. Heck, give me the nice noisy r8 with the v8 engine instead.. What a laugh..

  3. gr8 news by mash 😀

  4. Hey guys, check out the word “etron” in Google Translator. It means turd in French.

  5. DAM! I hope that car comes out in a Audi market!

  6. 4500 Nm of torque ??? hahahahah !!! seems more like we’re gonna have a stealth on the roads soon !! Utter lameness ! 😛

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