German car manufacturing giant Audi invite you to join the #LeagueofPerformance, with the release of their high-end Sport e-tron performance e-mountain bike.
If your reasonably well off in the finances department, or you really, really like Audis, the German company's new e-bike might be for you. If not, the price may well be a little on the steep side.
The Audi Sport e-tron is the result of a collaboration between the German car company and their compatriots over at bike manufacturers Haibike. The pair say that with each other's help they've managed to create a bike that "meets the highest standards of innovation, technology and performance."
There's no doubt that the e-tron carries premium kit on its carbon monocoque frame, though we've noticed that the bike bears a striking resemblance to Haibike's significantly cheaper XDURO FullSeven Carbon Pro - albeit with a few pertinent differences.
The first is the high entry price to join this '#LeagueofPerformance'. To get your hands on one of the 100 Audi e-bikes that are being produced, you'll have to shell out €15,300 - which is €5,400 more expensive than the comapartive Haibike XDURO.
Obviously, there are some perks kit-wise - you're not paying €5,400 euros for an Audi badge alone - though here at ebiketips we're fairly sure there's an Audi premium tax hiding away somewhere in the price breakdown.
The most obvious difference is the groupset. While the Haibike runs on SRAM's XX1 groupset, the Audi swings the other way and vies for the Shimano god's favour by running Shimano's more expensive electronic XTR Di2 groupset.
The Audi's front fork and wheelset are different from the Haibike's too. On the Audi your front end will be cushioned by DT Swiss's OPM O.D.L Fork and your point of contact with the trail, or road, will be DT Swiss's XMC 1200 wheelset - which weigh in at a very light 1.41kg.
Selle Italia's top-end Flite Tekno Flow saddle should cushoin your posterior region without letting any added weigh slow you down.
Your stopping power will be given to you by German brand Magura's MT8 disc brake set, as opposed to the Haibike's SRAM Guide Ultimate brakeset. The Maguaras are super lightweight, very reliable and consistent in their braking performance, and - as is to be expected on this Audi - they're a pricey option.
You'll also be joined on both bike's by Bosch's Nyon computer system. An optional extra alongside any of Bosch's mid motor drive systems, the cockpit companion gives both bikes the premium feel while also helping with power management and even the odd convenient automatic gear shift.
- Read more: ebiketips' guide to mid motor drive systems
The official weight of the e-tron is a stunningly light 18.2kg. That's 100g lighter than its Haibike brother, so there's little to split the two in that department - as is to be expected given their shared componentry.
Bosch's mid drive Performance Line CX motor powers the entire ensemble for both bikes, which are only available in Switzerland an in the EU.
You can buy the e-tron from here, though they're only available on request.
This isn't Audi's first venture into the e-bike market. Back in 2012 they released images of a prototype stunt e-bike which you can watch in action below.
Nothing production-wise ever came of that prototype, so technically, the e-tron is Audi's first venture into the consumer e-bike world.
