Limited to 75 units in America only, Audi has announced a special edition of the Audi RS e-tron GT electric sedan called "project_513/2" inspired by the original e-tron GT concept. Showcasing the best of what Audi exclusive - the carmaker's customization division - can do, Audi of America commissioned the special run to enable customers to drive a concept-looking car every day.
Never before has Audi offered a camouflage graphic from the factory. But the RS e-tron GT project_513/2 gets this bespoke wrap right from the factory - mimicking the camo used by the concept when it was undergoing development. The primary colors used are Audi Sport's signature red and black with a digi-camo design. For the first time ever, Audi's four rings are featured in red on the front and back of the car.
Highlighting its uniqueness, 21-inch five-double-spoke concave aero wheels are finished in black with red brake calipers for the ceramic brakes. As for the special edition's name - it was the internal codename of the project, representing its segment, generation, and body style. This name is etched into the rear quarter glass.
The interior doesn't go unaltered, with Audi playing heavily on the red and black theme. The air vents, for example, are finished in the same red as the Audi rings outside, with the scarlet accent also employed on the steering wheel, floor mats, and honeycomb-stitched fine Nappa leather seat quilting and accent panels. The seatbelts are also finished in red. Other touches include a Dinamica headliner under a carbon fiber roof, carbon fiber exterior door inlays, and carbon fiber mirror caps. The door sills are also of the sixth element and feature an illuminated RS logo.
Perhaps the coolest detail isn't the "project_513/2" embossing on the center armrest but rather the carbon fiber trim inlays in the dash. Instead of being regular woven carbon fiber, these panels have camo graphics that match the exterior wrap. To achieve this, Audi patented a "partial matting" process when it came to weaving the fibers, which measures thousandths of a millimeter deep and is primarily created by hand.
Even the infotainment screen has a unique wallpaper bespoke to the special edition.
Based on the RS e-tron GT instead of the regular e-tron, the 75 buyers will each get 637 horsepower from a twin-motor powertrain, enabling a 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.1 seconds. Thanks to the unique two-speed transmission at the rear axle, the RS e-tron GT doesn't run out of puff when it hits freeway speeds, either.
Standard rear-wheel steering enhances the EV's agility with up to 2.8 degrees of lock, either in the same direction or opposite direction to the front wheels depending on speed.
Audi previously offered a unique accessory for e-tron buyers inspired by the original concept - a car cover that mirrored the camo design so you could park your car and make it look like the original prototype. Clearly, e-tron buyers responded well to the idea, prompting Audi of America to consider a full special edition run of the real thing.
As for how much it costs, the price of uniqueness and exclusivity is $179,900 excluding a $1,495 destination charge, and most curious of all, a $595 charge for the metallic paint Audi covers up with the special wrap.
Sales start this spring, and we suspect all 75 will sell out quickly.