CARLOS SAINZ AND LUCAS CRUZ SHRED MADRID IN THE RS Q E-TRON RALLY CAR. MAD FUN!
In a pretty damn awesome of cutting-edge technology and electrifying power, Audi's RS Q e-tron rally car screamed through the vibrant streets of Madrid to showcase the future of electric drive technology. This cool event follows on from the RS Q e-tron's city tour of Hamburg a year back. It’s pretty cool that this took place in Madrid because it's the hometown of Audi factory drivers Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz and it provided the perfect backdrop for this awesome display of performance and skilled driving. The tour kicked off at the iconic Las Ventas arena, a venue steeped in history and culture, with nearly 90 years of bullfighting and other home-grown performances. Emerging from the arena's catacombs, Sainz and Cruz guided the RS Q e-tron into the arena interior, where the electric rally car unleashed its horsepower - an impressive 263 kW of electric drive - shown off with drifts and associated manoeuvres. The high-speed journey continued to the Fuente de Cibeles, a symbol of Madrid's grandeur, surrounded by historic landmarks like the Palacio de Buenavista, the Palacio de Linares, and the Palacio de Cibeles. Here, the RS Q e-tron made its presence felt once again through drifting and tyre smoke and leaving rubber tracks as proof. The Fuente de Neptuno was the next stage for these shenanigans where the Spanish duo put the RS Q e-tron through its paces. As the RS Q e-tron roared down the busy Gran Via, it turned heads at every corner, something as out-of-place as the rally car attracted loads of attention. A fair amount of selfies and autographs was the result, and the Spanish celebrity racers happily obliged. From there the journey moved on to Plaza de Oriente, found between the Palacio Real and the Teatro Real, the perfect spot for the grand finale.
The Audi RS Q e-tron is a beast of a machine that employs the best of ICE and EV power to create a formidable rally raid car. There’s nowhere to charge an electric car while racing across dunes and deserts, which is the main reason this off-road monster is a hybrid. Audi chose an innovative charging concept by employing one of its turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder TFSI powerplant from the Audi DTM to supply charge to the high-voltage battery while the car is in motion. The drivetrain of the Audi RS Q e-tron is electric though, the front and rear axles are both fitted with a motor-generator unit as found in the Audi e-tron FE07 Formula E car. A third motor is used as part of the energy converter and its job is to recharge the while driving. Energy is also recuperated during braking. The battery used in the rally raid car has a capacity of 52 kWh and around 370 kg and it also helps keep the centre of gravity where it’s needed for optimum performance. The car is properly competitive, Team Audi Sport secured an overall victory in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge last year and in two editions of the iconic Dakar Rally, it racked up six stage victories and a total of 28 podium finishes in one-day classifications. Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz contributed to three stage wins and nine additional podium appearances to this total.“That was an unforgettable drive in my homeland,” Carlos Sainz commented. “Even though we weren’t in rally mode for once: We generated a lot of attention and showed that electromobility and automotive fun can reach a large audience.”
Take a look at the YouTube video put together by Audi to show off the properly sorted Audi RS Q e-tron rally car as it rips up the streets and visits famous landmarks across the Spanish city of Madrid. The hybrid rally car was piloted by none other than Carlos Sainz Snr and Lucas Cruz, a pair of well-known rally drivers who both hail from Spain, which explains why they were treated like celebrities and ended up on hundreds of Instagram and TokTok accounts during their tour of the iconic Spanish city: Audi RS Q e tron wows Madrid | CWMedia
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News Rally Car Racecar EV RS RS Q e-tron SXdrv Rally Madrid Red Bull Lucas Cruz Carlos Sainz Audi