Will The Audi E-Tron GT Steal The Porsche Taycan’s Thunder?

The Audi E-Tron GT concept was one of the stars of the Los Angeles Auto Show and there’s no denying it’s an absolute beauty.

The concept previews a production model which will arrive in 2020 and it looks set to battle the highly-anticipated Porsche Taycan. While we haven’t seen the final designs of either model quite yet, it’s bound to be an interesting sibling rivalry.

Both models have a lot in common as they resemble five-door hatchbacks that are more geared towards sport than practicality. While the overall shape is largely the same, the E-Tron GT has aggressive lines while the Taycan features subtle curves and flowing surfaces.

Some of the biggest differences can be seen up front, as the E-Tron GT has a prominent singleframe grille which is flanked by sporty air intakes and slender matrix LED headlights. The Taycan, on the other hand, features a more restrained appearance that echos the Panamera.

Moving further back, both models have front fender vents and a charging port located on the passenger side front fender. However, there are plenty of differences as the E-Tron GT has more angular bodywork and prominent character lines on the doors and rear haunches.

The Taycan goes in a different direction as it has softly curved surfaces and a more flowing beltline. The car also has muscular rear fenders, but they eschew the heavy styling details of the Audi.

Interestingly, this trend is reversed at the back as the Audi has a rounder rear end while the Taycan has a more pronounced trunk. Despite this difference, both models have full width taillights and an aerodynamic diffuser.

On the performance front, both cars are nearly identical as the E-Tron GT has two electric motors that give the concept a combined output of 581 hp (434 kW / 590 PS). This enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in around 3.5 seconds before hitting a limited top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h).

The Taycan also uses two electric motors, but it will have a combined output in excess of 592 hp (441 kW / 600 PS). As a result, the car will run from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds.

The ranges appear pretty different, but that’s because the Audi can travel more than 248 miles (400 km) according to WLTP standards. The Taycan’s range of more than 310 miles (500 km) was calculated using the older NEDC standard.