Words and photos courtesy of Vinod Enka

 

What is it?  This is Audi’s latest flagship. Not EV flagship, but flagship, period. That’s how significant this car is to the brand. What the i8 was to BMW, the e-tron GT is to Audi, in a more practical package. It may not be their first EV, but this is the first EV from Audi you’ll really want. And Norev is the first to shrink it to 1:18, finishing it in Daytona Grey, and dressing it in the top-of-the-line RS trim.

Does it do justice to the real car?  In a word, yes. Norev lives up to expectations. But this is a slightly different kind of Norev, one that doesn’t open up anywhere. It’s a sealed diecast model, not resin. Which is great in my books. It’s not unnecessarily heavy and can be handled more confidently. Loving it so far.

This is one car you’ll appreciate more in the metal. The wheels look controversial in photos but they actually work well with the overall design. Speaking of which, I think this is one of the best-proportioned sedans / 4 door coupes in recent history. I’d put it on the same podium as the more traditional Aston Martin Rapide and 8 Series Gran Coupe. The Porsche Taycan isn’t quite my thing, but this one, built on the same bones, comes across as a bespoke Audi at first glance. Look hard enough at the swoopy C pillar, and you’ll see a resemblance to the 911, but other than that, this is pure Audi. The inverse front grill design is just genius.

Where the Taycan looks more concept-like, the Audi looks more familiar but no less stunning. The EV architecture contributes to the low centre of gravity, hence the hunkered down look gives off a stance unmatched by any internal combustion-powered sedan. And Norev has done a very good job replicating that stance here. It’s not perfect, mind you, but fantastic nevertheless. We get some attractive carbon fibre trim on the very glossy roof, wing mirrors, side sills, and front & rear fascias. Moving around to the rear, the carbon fibre-lined diffuser is so dramatic it almost makes you forgive the lack of a set of quad exhausts insight. Excellent job by Audi’s (and Norev’s) designers here.

We can’t end this section without talking about the party piece – that rear light bar! Again, nicely done by Norev but one little complaint – I just wish the arrow pattern within the rear light lenses were more defined. I noticed a similar issue with Norev’s W222 S Class rear lights as well.

Does the interior call out to you?  Kind of.  The e-tron GT has a very attractive dashboard not overrun with touchscreens, an obvious conscious effort by Audi to dial it back a little from what we’ve seen in the A8/ A7/ Q8 etc. Being the RS model, Norev’s decision to go with a sporty, all-black interior is all good- but look closely and you’d be surprised to see some cost-cutting going on. Material quality-wise, this is not up to the standards you’d find in Norev’s opening cars. The plastic mouldings are smooth and shiny, so thankfully the black colour just conceals the cheapness. On a better note, the dashboard is accurately represented.

How does it drive?  Give it a push with your fingers, and it rolls forward very smoothly. And silently. Just like the real thing! And here’s another surprise – all 4 tyres on this model have working suspension.

And the verdict is?  Despite the interior quality, I’m really liking this model. Something about it brings out the child in you. Maybe because it rolls as well as a Hotwheels! But yes, this is yet another solid effort from Norev. I wished they released it in more lively colours because the grey might be too business-like for some – but still a very good match for this car’s body lines. Makes it look all the more realistic.

We are currently witnessing a paradigm shift in the automotive industry: the transformation of the automobile from analogue, fuel-burning mechanical machines into A.I. enabled, cloud-connected, microchip-powered electronic devices on wheels. I still remember the first-generation Chevrolet Volt in 2010 that brought EVs to the mainstream. And it could connect to an app on your phone too, back then it was mind-bending. And then came the Tesla Model S, and that obviously made much bigger ripples and today, the old guards of the auto industry have entered the scene. And what an entrance this is. This is a landmark car, not just for Audi, but for me too – it’s my first diecast EV!

You might also like, Norev also makes the e-tron GT in an olive green shade, but that’s quite an acquired taste. And GT Spirit has announced their take on the RS e-tron GT, with a mild tuner look- so yeah the e-tron is getting more love now. And if you’re on a tight budget, fret not: Para64 makes a fantastic e-tron GT in 1:64 scale, in 2 colours (and more to come) – retailing for something like 16 USD.