Audi wasn’t honest about e-Tron torque figures, more like 252 lb-ft than 3,319

We all were quite impressed with the Audi e-Tron electric concept showcased first at the Frankfurt Motor Show and recently at the Los Angeles one, but while its looks dazzled many, true car fans were amazed at the reported torque figure of 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 pound-feet), considering that a supercar like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG “only” develops 738 lb-ft.

But the guys at Automobile Magazine decided to take it one step further, seeing as how Audi hasn’t officially clarified the details behind that huge number. After a bit of snooping, it seems that they discovered that Audi revealed the number recorded at the wheel, and not at the crankshaft, as it is standard in the automotive industry. This basically means that the true torque figure was multiplied around 10 times.

According to the team, the Audi e-Tron is possible of outputting a much more sensible 252 lb-ft of torque, being beaten by one of its main rivals, the Tesla Roadster, which develops 273 lb-ft.

Until technology evolves and we’ll see cars with over 3,000 lb-ft of torque at the crank shaft, such numbers are still fantasy.

Source: Automobile Mag via Autoblog

One Comment

1. 

   intensive driving

   December 10, 2009 at 9:43 am

   It’s a sad day when we can’t even trust Audi to tell the truth.