Inspired by the annual GP Ice Race in Zell am See in the Austrian Alps, Audi has created an ultra-exclusive road-going special edition of its RS e-tron GT sports car. Called the Audi RS e-tron GT Ice Race Edition, it celebrates the raw nature of the Austrian motorsport event and the 40th anniversary of Audi Sport, the brand’s motorsport / high-performance vehicle division. Audi will make just 99 units of the RS e-tron GT Ice Race Edition, and only four of them will be right-hand drive configurations for markets like the United Kingdom. Each one will set their owner back by about £150,000.
As far as changes go, the special edition seems to only get visual updates, both inside and out, along with a few feature tweaks. The distinctive livery of the special edition is the result of a project spearheaded by Audi Design in conjunction with the brands’ personalisation programme team. It uses a standard RS e-tron GT finished in Florett Silver metallic with a black carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CRPF) roof. A ‘foil wrap’ livery incorporates silver and white accents with violet detailing. According to Audi, silver and white are a reference to snow crystals and ice lakes, while violet represents the bright shades of wintersports eyewear. A combination of white renderings of the four rings at the front and rear, dark privacy glass, and the 21-inch black alloy wheels serve as contrasting elements.
The same colour scheme continues inside. The cabin is draped in Fine Nappa leather featuring a diamond silver and black colour combination, with violet contrast stitching. The leather coverage also continues to the upper parts of the centre console, the instrument panel, the door rails, and the door armrests. RS floor mats with diamond silver piping and violet stitching around the RS logo are another bespoke touch, including ‘Audi exclusive’ insignias in the microfibre door trim inserts.
The updates also cover the car’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) screen. It features a bespoke background image which also displays the unique serial number of each of the 99 exclusive editions in the lower left corner. Previously, this feature made use of physical plaques or badges. If a mountain motif is selected via the MMI, the ambient lighting colour changes to purple.
In terms of standard equipment, the RS e-tron GT Ice Race Edition offers top-shelf options like Matrix LED headlamps with Audi laser light enhancement, ceramic brakes finished with Anthracite Grey callipers, adaptive air suspension with continuously variable damping, all-wheel-steering and e-quattro all-wheel-drive.
The GP Ice Race
The GP Ice Race was first staged in 1952 and was revived as an annual sporting fixture in 2019. It is derived from a Scandinavian sport called skijoring, in which skiers are pulled by animals such as dogs or horses but also by motor vehicles. The event highlights include race cars pulling skiers and drift displays by manufacturers, professionals, and amateurs in modern and classic cars; all this happens around a man-made ice track.