photos: James Lee aka food4audis
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran in the Q1_2023 issue of quattro Magazine. If you would like to subscribe to quattro Magazine, please join Audi Club here.
As the tide of electromobility rolls into the automotive market, we suspect the story of this e-tron S is something that is likely to be repeated. Nick and Henny aren’t new to enthusiast car ownership. They’ve had a range, from SRT8 Mopar to BMW M-cars. Nick’s been modifying cars for fifteen years. However, when it came time for Henny to replace her daily, they decided to consider an EV and ended up going with this.
The pair live in California, which is complicated. SoCal is Mecca for car culture and yet Cali is leading the way in adoption of electric vehicles. The mindset then, shared by this pair, is probably pretty common. They’ve got a Ram TRX and BMW M5 in the garage that they greatly enjoy. Pragmatically recognizing the curtain may be dropping on the ICE age, they wanted to add something with which they could log miles and operate affordably, while taking some of the pressure off of their existing cars so they can also enjoy them longer.
Once they decided to go electric, Nick and Henny drove everything they could find. Nick shares, “The e-tron is absolutely the best of breed in electric cars on the market today. We drove them all including the EQS and are thrilled to have been able to get one.”
It’s a compelling choice to be sure. The e-tron is just a bit longer and just a bit shorter than Audi’s top-selling Q5. Inside, its interior is more Q8 levels of quality, but with a more tech-focused flare. e-tron S models add a third electric motor, upping power markedly to 496 hp and 718 lb-ft of torque. That it can also torque vector the rear axle with that third motor makes it a formidable performance offering out of the box.
It also boasts a more aggressive look with S-specific bumper and fender flares, and also when optioned in Siam Beige Metallic with Black Optic package and Dynamic Orange brake calipers. Added in at the dealership were black Audi rings, badges and e-tron beam under door lights.
Adding a few tasteful modifications was always in the cards. Visual changes were kept to a minimum but still augmented the car in a bold way. For this, Nick and Henny turned to Pacific German who reprogrammed the suspension for lower ride height.
HRE Flowform Wheels specced in 22×10.5 Tarmac were fitted with 285 35 ZR22 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and new tire pressure monitoring sensors. Further details such as black lug bolts and 20mm spacers from H&R complete this very tailored look.
Inside, the pair made a few changes to the car’s audio capabilities with the addition of an Audison APK 163 replacement speaker kit with increased power from Audison’s APKF8.9 BIT Prima Series 85W 8-channel amplifier.
There’s no question the EV shift is coming but Nick and Henny prove that change doesn’t have to mean boring. Henny’s new daily looks incredible; a welcomed addition to the garage and an impressive introduction to the Audi brand for longtime car enthusiasts.
