The Audi e-tron has been on the market since last year, and it’s received positive feedback overall. This was the German automaker’s first mainstream volume EV and the company managed to cover all the bases quite well, except for the range. Earlier this month, the Audi unveiled the ‘S’ version of the e-tron that comes with more power. The ‘S’ badge is slapped on the SUV as well as the Sportback body type. It comes with better performance specs, an extra motor, and a few dimensional tweaks.

How Does It Look On The Outside?

In terms of aesthetics, there aren’t a whole lot of changes. It comes standard with 21-inch wheels, but 22-inch shoes are also available. Six-piston brakes that are painted in black come as standard and feature the ‘S’ logo. However, you can have them in a bright orange shade as well.

The bumpers are also a little more pronounced and sporty. The rear diffuser extends almost the whole width, which results in almost an inch-wide rear wheel arches. To differentiate it from the standard e-trons, Audi has pasted ‘S’ badges on the body. The e-tron S can also be had with the Matrix LED headlights.

The E-Tron S Is Aerodynamically Superior

It comes with controllable cooling-air inlet vents to cool the front wheel brakes. The vents remain closed as much as possible so that the airstream flows over the hood most of the time. Tweaks are made to the wheel arch extensions as well. The optional cameras in place of the traditional wing mirrors further help the cause. Thanks to all these things, the e-tron S achieves a drag coefficient of 0.28, whereas the e-tron S Sportback achieves a drag coefficient of 0.26.

Audi has also installed a heat pump in the e-tron. A heat pump transfers heat energy from a source of heat into a thermal reservoir. So, basically, all the heat generated by the drive components is used instead of being let out as wasted energy. A heat pump can also produce 3kW of thermal energy for every 1kW of electric energy, thus resulting in an efficiency of 300-percent. In the e-tron, the heat pump helps increase the range by 10-percent.

Speaking of the range, the e-tron S is equipped with a 95-kWh battery, of which 86 kWh is usable. As per the WLTP ratings, the e-tron S SUV has a range of 223 miles whereas the e-tron S Sportback delivers three miles more than the SUV. The regenerative braking can be set in three different levels and the most aggressive of them all lets you experience the one-pedal driving.

What Different On The Inside?

On the inside, the e-tron S is finished in various dark themes. The electrically-adjustable sport seats that are offered come wrapped in Nappa leather with the ‘S’ logo embossed on them. The cabin has brushed aluminum inlays all around, but you can also have them in carbon fiber. Audi is also offering an ambient lighting package as an option.

Coming to the infotainment system, the e-tron S comes equipped with two large MMI touchscreen systems tilted towards the driver. The instrument cluster is a large display that features Audi’s ‘virtual cockpit’. A head-up display is available as an option as well. All-in-all, the cabin is a pleasant space to be in. It doesn’t feel too tech-heavy and seems in line with the other vehicles on sale today.

What Powers The E-Tron S?

These motors are the same as the ones found on the standard e-tron, but are tweaked a little. Thanks to this setup, the e-tron S has a rear-wheel-drive bias and the torque can be precisely varied between the rear wheels. Audi also said that the front motor will come into play when the vehicle detects a need for power in the front wheels or when losing traction. This will also help with range efficiency.

All the 496 horses and 718 pound-feet of torque are available only when the e-tron S is slotted into the S gear. Also, this is available as boost shots that last only for eight seconds. Feels like engaging the NOS in NFS! Audi said that the standard sprint to 60 mph from a standstill takes 4.5 seconds and top speed is rated at 130 mph. The e-tron S also features an adaptive air suspension that receives an “S-specific” tuning. It has a three-inch travel range.

How Much Does It Cost?

Audi has announced that the e-tron S SUV and the e-tron S Sportback will be priced at £87,000 ($110,750) and £88,700 ($113,000) respectively in the U.K. The company hasn’t announced when it will be bringing the e-tron S to the States.

Final Thoughts

The Audi e-tron S brings a lot to the table in terms of performance. The power figures are impressive and should keep even the enthusiasts happy. The extra motor helps add stuff like torque vectoring and will increase the overall capabilities of the vehicle on the road. Even the ride quality will be a lot better than the standard e-tron.

We’ll have to wait and watch as to when Audi plans to bring this to the States. The U.K. pricing seems a little on the higher end and it doesn’t make the e-tron S exactly bang for the buck. Audi also announced that customers who book the e-tron S before the end of this year will receive a free 12-month subscription to the e-tron Charging Service. Even a seven kW wall box charger for home installation will be given as complimentary.