Fours to be reckoned with: Audi E-Tron GT vs Quattro

Both of these run a Quattro four-wheel drive system and both represent the epitome of accessible performance that’s been a hallmark of Quattro since 1980. And although the E-tron GT is going to struggle to match the star-studded legacy of the Quattro, coming as it does among a raft of electric performance cars, its launch was still quite the moment for Audi: if a brand’s halo car can be electric, it’s obvious which way the wind is blowing.

First, though, the Quattro. It defined the genre so it makes sense to start with it and see if its traits follow through to the E-tron GT, more than 40 years later. When a car is this full of character, it’s difficult not to get a bit grumpy-old-man about the state of the world today: why can’t everything be so much fun? From the trigger-style door handles to the five-cylinder thrum, you know the journey is going to be special.

That thought is only reinforced as you slide into the seats and grip the thin, perfectly round steering wheel. Brown velour seats, I should add. It’s the essence of the 1980s expressed as furniture fabric.

Key turned, throttle lightly prodded to get a bit more fuel into the pistons as the starter motor turns over, and then it’s running, smoothly puttering away with a hint, but not overly so, of five-cylinder character.  That comes later, when you stretch the revs and that unique sound filters back into the cabin. 

It’s not loud or uncouth – that’s not really the Quattro’s style – but it’s enough to let you know there’s something interesting going on under the bonnet. That and the turbocharger whistle from the KKK blower as you lift off to shift ratios through the five-speed manual gearbox. 

Pace isn’t outrageous – 0-62mph takes 7.1sec thanks to 197bhp and 210lb ft – but it’s incredibly effortless. Frequently, if you’re driving an old car among modern traffic, you feel outclassed, as if the world has suddenly got an awful lot busier and time-pressured, but the Quattro doesn’t suffer from that. 

With a flexible torque curve and minimal turbo lag, allied to the slight 1287kg kerb weight, it’s a remarkably easy car for any trip. These days, it’s no longer a supercar-baiter (back in its heyday, it rivalled the Ferrari 308 GTB for acceleration), but it’s more than capable of keeping up on motorways and A-roads.