Audi E-Tron Gt vs Porsche 718

What's the difference?

While it may be a very different beast to the R8 supercar, it’s hard to argue that the e-tron GT offers performance that isn’t equal to anything Audi has previously produced. The immense acceleration and power, coupled with the brilliant and clever handling make this updated range, especially the RS pair, feel like something special.The fact that it will save you visiting a petrol bowser and might help cut harmful emissions is just a bonus.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

If this is to be the end of the 718 as we know it, then it is an end to be remembered. Porsche has produced something special in the Spyder RS, a sports car that can compete with the 911 on any stretch of road - which is something so few cars can claim. The focus on performance has driven the entire concept of the car, but all the elements work in harmony, with form and function coming together.

While there are some big changes underneath, on the surface the design tweaks are quite subtle. 

There are some tweaks to the front grille, headlights, lower bumper and air intakes, but overall the look isn’t dramatically different. The more noticeable styling change is between the S and RS models, with the latter looking more sporty and dynamic thanks to a unique lower bumper design and the larger alloy wheels, which have a sportier look.

The biggest design changes are arguably the introduction of the switchable transparency roof on the RS and the option to use matt carbon camouflage.

The former is another shared element between the RS e-tron GT and Taycan, and it uses a special glass that can switch between being clear or opaque depending on whether you put a current through it. Cleverly, Audi is offering the option to have individual sections alternate between the two states, so you can customise it to your preference.

As for the grandly named matte carbon camouflage, it wasn’t highlighted in Audi’s presentation, but it’s the same material the Lamborghini developed over a decade ago and calls ‘forged carbon’ instead.

Unlike traditional carbon-fibre, which is made from injecting resin into sheets of fabric-like carbon fibre weave, forged composite uses a malleable paste of carbon sheets and resin. This technique is quicker to make and easier to shape into complex pieces, but lacks the visual impact of conventional carbon-fibre.

The biggest design change internally is the new steering wheel, which is a not-quote-squared-off rim that feels nice in your hand without being too thick. The RS models feature two new large red buttons - ‘RS’ and ‘Boost’ - which allow you to select the drive modes and activate the short boost function, respectively.

As the pinnacle of not only the current 718 range, but potentially the entire combustion engine era of the Boxster, Porsche has pulled out all the stops for the Spyder RS.

This includes major changes to the design, but none are purely for aesthetic reasons and instead are driven by the search for performance; and the fact they make the 718 look tougher, meaner and more purposeful than ever before is just a bonus.

It’s a comprehensive redesign that starts at the bumper with a new front lip spoiler to enhance downforce. Then there’s a pair of NACA ducts on the lightweight bonnet to improve brake cooling without compromising aerodynamic drag. The lightweight front fenders include wheel arch vents to stop any potential for front-end lift at high speeds.

And the fenders aren’t the only component that’s gone on a diet, there’s a lighter exhaust, lighter wheels, lighter bonnet, lighter roof, lighter door panels and even lighter carpets on the inside. All up, the Spyder RS tips the scales at 1400kg, which is 40kg lighter than a standard 718 Boxster.

If it’s still not light enough, you can opt for the optional 'Weissach Package' (which was fitted to our test car), which brings even lighter 20-inch forged magnesium wheels and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic for a range of parts including the front luggage compartment, rollover bars and ducktail spoiler on the Gurney flap – plus some cosmetic enhancements.

And we still haven’t even touched on the biggest design change yet - the rear half of the car. Starting with the roof, which Porsche actually calls a ‘sunshield’ and ‘weather guard’ because it’s a stripped down version of what the brand usually uses, to save weight and let the glorious engine noise into the cabin uninterrupted.

But it’s also necessary because the entire rear engine cover has been redesigned to accommodate the larger engine that Porsche has installed in the Spyder RS, a 4.0-litre six-cylinder instead of the usual turbocharged four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engines.

While the Spyder RS looks great with the roof/sunshield on or off, frankly the removal process is much too complicated and requires repeated viewings of a YouTube tutorial to still get it wrong.

While owners will (likely) eventually get the hang of it, it will always be a clunky and awkward process and that’s just the price of being so focused on performance, which you can accept or not.

Inside that ethos of performance over practicality continues, with sports seats, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and even the previously mentioned lightweight carpet floor mats.

It’s a purposeful, rather than luxurious, cabin, but that perfectly suits the nature of the Spyder RS. Our test drive included several long stretches behind the wheel and at no stage did it feel uncomfortable or impractical, despite its stripped-down design.

Practicality is an important consolidation for the e-tron GT, it may have replaced the two-seater R8 as Audi’s definitive performance hero, but it’s a four-door sedan so it needs to be more family friendly. It’s especially relevant for Audi, as the brand has a history of brilliantly combining family needs with fast cars, namely its iconic wagons, the RS4 and RS6 Avants.

Audi also has a strong reputation for some of the best interior design in the industry, and the e-tron GT is arguably amongst its best work (at least in this reviewer’s opinion). It looks modern and stylish without leaning too far towards being different simply because it’s an electric car.

The new steering wheel fits the new design well, framing the digital driver’s display nicely. The display itself has a new RS-specific display for the higher-end models.

There’s a central infotainment touchscreen, but underneath this particular Audi skips the climate control touchscreen in favour of a digital readout and physical switchgear; a welcome relief for some, no doubt.

As for the seats, all three trim levels get the same style of sports seat trimmed in Nappa leather with a honeycomb stitch pattern. There are different finishes, both black and red leather, and some with contrasting stitching available through the optional design package. The RS performance package gets a unique ‘serpentine green’ stitching to stand out.

Small item storage in the front is adequate but not generous, which does make the e-tron GT feel more like a sports car at least, even if it doesn’t help practicality.

As for the rear, space is surprisingly good given the external dimensions and the nature of it being a low-roof sedan (rather than an SUV) with batteries underneath the floor. That’s largely because Audi has split the battery pack to allow for extra room in the rear for passengers’ feet, combating a common problem with electric sedans.

Headroom is adequate, and will be tight for anyone much taller than 180cm, but it will do the job of transporting the family in relative comfort. It is, by no means, the most spacious or family friendly model in the Audi range, but it does play its role as both a performance car and roomy sedan.

The boot is measured at 405 litres in the S but shrinks to 350L in the RS models, but both have the same 77L space under the bonnet, so space is (again) reasonable without being generous.

One area where the 718 range is starting to show its age quite dramatically is the in-car technology. While Porsche’s native system is relatively user-friendly, the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any capacity is deeply out-dated; and was frustrating for this Android using reviewer.

Given the age of the current 718 platform, and the impending arrival of the new model, it’s understandable that the multimedia system didn’t get an overhaul, but for a $350K car it does feel a bit behind the times.

In practical terms the Spyder RS is a bit of a struggle if you plan to go away with it. We managed to get a small suitcase and backpack in the under bonnet storage, but that was at capacity. While the addition of the larger engine removes any meaningful rear storage space.

The bad news is, the Spyder RS costs just over $200,000 more than the entry-level 718 Boxster, which is not a small sum of money. The good news is, for that $200K, Porsche has overhauled the 718 from nose-to-tail and enhanced it in nearly every aspect.

There’s a raft of mechanical changes that we’ll get to later on, to help justify the $334,200, plus on-road costs, asking price, but from a specification perspective there are some notable inclusions. 

For starters it comes with the 'Porsche Communication Management' (PCM) multimedia system, which includes in-built navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a 110-watt sound system.

But Australian delivered cars get an even higher level of standard equipment than other countries, with LED headlights including 'Porsche Dynamic Light System' (PDLS), cruise control, digital radio, rear 'ParkAssist' with reversing camera, 'Light Design Package', tyre fit set and windscreen with grey top tint, plus a no-cost optional Bose Surround Sound System all included.

It may be $200K more than 718 but compared to a 911, it actually makes a pretty compelling value argument. A 911 Cabriolet Carrera S starts at $342,700 (plus on-road costs), making that Spyder RS $8500 cheaper and a genuine alternative to its ‘big brother’.

Then, when you compare it against similar mid-engine European sports cars, such as the Maserati MC20 (from $510,000) or McLaren Artura (from $477,310) the Porsche looks like a bargain; relatively speaking, of course.

The key number for the new model is 680kW - that’s what the new RS e-tron GT Performance produces from its dual electric motors. That makes it the most powerful production car Audi has ever offered, which is quite an achievement when you look back at some of the cars this brand has built over the years.

That power upgrade is an extra 205kW over the pre-facelifted RS e-tron GT, and comes with a whopping 1027Nm of torque.

The RS e-tron GT has been upgraded too, now making 630kW/865Nm, a 155kW improvement on the old model. Which is a good thing, because the new S e-tron GT has even more power than the original RS, underlining just how much Audi has focused on power for this mid-life enhancement. The new S packs a 500kW/717Nm punch, compared to the 475kW/830Nm the previous RS offered.

The key stat for the engine is the cylinder count. Gone are the four cylinders and instead it’s a return to Porsche’s iconic flat-six.

Specifically, the same 4.0-litre six that Porsche uses in its 911 GT3, which is a lot of engine to squeeze into the middle of this lightened sports convertible.

In order to keep the 718 in its place (beneath the 911), Porsche has slightly detuned the engine, so it makes 368kW/450Nm (compared to 375kW/460Nm in the 911 GT3), but the German brand has never worried about a kilowatt contest and instead prefers to focus on driveability and the other elements that make a drive great.

To that end the combination of air-intakes next to the headrests and the lightweight stainless steel exhaust (which gets titanium tips on the Weissach Package) helps the Spyder RS sound like a Carrera Cup racing car when you really wind it up to its 9000rpm redline.

Not that the performance isn’t spectacular, though, with Porsche claiming it takes the Spyder RS just 3.4 seconds to run 0-100km/h, only 10.9 seconds to get from 0-200km/h and will hit a top speed of 308km/h.

The engine is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission (or PDK in Porsche-speak) that the company claims has “short-ratios”, but with peak power not hitting until 8400rpm and peak torque from 6750rpm, you don’t have to rush the ratio changes.

Another one of the significant unseen changes for this update is the battery. Audi has overall the battery for this latest e-tron GT, so it now has higher energy density (168.3Wh/kg), more size (105kWh v 97kWh), faster charging (10-80 per cent in 18 minutes) and reduced weight (down 9kg).

Despite all the extra power, driving ranges for the three models are still all beyond 500km. The S e-tron GT has a claimed range of 558km, the RS e-tron GT can manage up to 522km and RS e-tron GT Performance can run 528km on a single charge, according to Audi. 

As for the charging itself, Audi claims it now takes just 18 minutes to get from 10 to 80 per cent using an ultra-fast DC charger.

Porsche says the 4.0-litre engine in the Spyder RS uses 13.0L/100km, which is a big number for what is a relatively small car. But that engine is highly-tuned and built for performance not efficiency, so it’s something owners will need to accept.

Our test drive included some long highway stretches, as well as some spirited driving and urban commuting, so a good mix across all conditions, and we saw consistent returns around the 15-16L/100km range.

It has a 64-litre tank, which means a theoretical driving range of around 490km, assuming you can hit the official claim.

Befitting its role as Audi’s performance hero, the new range drives with a level of speed and precision you would expect from such a car.

Even the new S e-tron GT has a level of acceleration that not every sports car could keep up with (the official 0-100km/h claim is 3.4 seconds), which would be impressive on its own but is a standout when you consider this is a four-door sedan.

It also helps that the adaptive air suspension and all-wheel steering (which can help both low speed manoeuvring and high speed changes of direction) make for an incredibly responsive and agile handling vehicle.

And then you drive the RS e-tron GT Performance and the driving experience is a step up again with its 2.5s triple-digit sprint time. That’s largely because of the new active suspension system it uses, which features a hi-tech array of cameras, radars and sensors to ‘read’ the road ahead of it and adjust the ride accordingly.

The result is arguably one of the best riding, most comfortable electric performance cars on sale today. Typically the need to control so much weight, from the batteries, means the ride is often too firm. But with the active suspension, Audi has somehow managed to make the ride both compliant (on 21-inch wheels) but also very well controlled, which allows you to really drive with precision even at speed.

But it’s not just the suspension, as mentioned earlier, the RS models also get a new ‘Boost’ button on the steering wheel that offers an extra 70kW of power for 10 seconds. Along with the surge of extra performance there’s a large countdown timer on the digital dashboard when you press it to really give you a sense of urgency and speed.

Thankfully, with so much power the e-tron GT range has plenty of stopping power. The S comes equipped with steel brakes, which do a fine job. But for the faster RS models, you get a carbide coated rotor and you can option ceramic brakes for more resilient stopping power.

I’m only giving it a nine out of 10 because perfection is hard for any car to achieve, but the 718 Spyder RS goes as close as any car I’ve driven. This is a masterpiece of modern sports car design, pushing the 718 closer to the 911 than ever before, which is something Porsche has clearly tried to avoid so as to not tarnish the image of its flagship.

But with the 911’s 4.0-litre flat-six in the middle of the 718, plus its more compact dimensions, the lightweight nature of the Spyder RS and the raft of chassis and handling enhancements, this really does leave you questioning ‘do I really need a 911?’

The steering is fantastically direct, the chassis responds to every input with precision and feedback and the braking is strong and consistent. Which helps because that engine is so good it launches you with ferocity and a glorious noise (as good as anything on the market today) whenever you squeeze down on the accelerator.

The highest praise I can give the Spyder RS is not that it was a dream to drive on winding, challenging roads, but that it was just as enjoyable on a trip to the shops or cruising down the freeway. Any drive in this car is a genuine pleasure.

This is another area where the 718 is showing its vintage, with very little in the way of active safety features. There’s the required stability control, as well as airbags for driver and passenger, plus the previously mentioned reversing camera. But that’s it, there’s no autonomous emergency braking, no lane-keeping assist or even adaptive cruise control.

While that may sound shocking to some, there’s never a moment where you feel unsafe in the 718. It feels incredibly stable and responsive on the road, as the onus falls back upon the driver to pay attention and make smart choices.

There’s no ANCAP rating for the 718, or any Porsche, so it is a question of putting your faith into Porsche’s in-house safety measures.

Audi offers its standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty for the three e-tron GT variants, but the battery gets a specific eight year/160,000km warranty. The five years of coverage is fairly standard for the luxury car segment, but short of the increasingly common seven-year warranties for mainstream brands.

As for the servicing, that’s included in the cost of the car, with Audi covering the first six years of maintenance for no additional charge. It helps that service intervals, without a complicated and oily engine, are stretched to two years or 30,000km.

It’s difficult to give the Spyder RS a clear score here because Porsche is cagey on the details. The public dealer websites indicate annual oil maintenance is required, with additional servicing every two years or 15,000km. 

How much that will cost is unclear, as despite the rest of the 718 range having publicly available prices, there were no such details for the Spyder RS (or even its Cayman sibling, the GT4 RS).

For reference, the 'standard' 718 requires oil maintenance ($895) for the first annual service and an inspection ($1500) the year after. Those costs continue to alternate annually out to eight years/120,000km.