{"id":472,"date":"2024-05-08T10:37:35","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T10:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/?p=472"},"modified":"2024-05-08T10:37:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T10:37:35","slug":"test-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/2024\/05\/08\/test-test\/","title":{"rendered":"test test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/CAR-Electric-header-scaled.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;CAR Electric header&#8221; module_class=&#8221;electric-slug&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/lead-img.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;lead-img&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;brand-names&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700||on|||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]Lotus Eletre <span class=\"text-black\">|<\/span> Audi SQ8 E-Tron <span class=\"text-black\">|<\/span> Porche Taycan <span class=\"text-black\">|<\/span> Cross Turismo[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;article-title-allcaps&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_font=&#8221;|800||on|||||&#8221; header_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_font_size=&#8221;44px&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1>Leaving <span class=\"has-color\" style=\"color: #c59720\">a Legacy<\/span><\/h1>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;fp-introv2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Three firms built on high-performance cars with engines now meet on less familiar territory: the world of electric SUVs. Does their magic work here?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;fp-byline&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Words<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s2\"> Name here<br \/><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><b>Photography<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s2\"> Name here<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;text-with-dropcap&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 has-dropcap\"><span style=\"color: #c59720\">\u2018D<\/span>addy, when I grow up, I\u2019m definitely going to save up to buy this car.\u2019 Piping up from the back seat, the eight-year-old\u2019s voice is waxing lyrical about not a Ferrari V12, not a BMW straight-six, but an all-electric SUV, the Lotus Eletre.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The most controversial car to ever come out of Norfolk (-ish, as it actually starts life in Wuhan) is getting a small boy as fired up as if someone had just agreed to give him chocolate biscuits for breakfast for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">This raises an interesting point. Those of us at the sharp end of the car market, road testers and customers alike, have been scratching chins and furrowing brows ever since Lotus announced it was building an electric SUV. Outrage followed, with frothy-mouthed indignation that the UK\u2019s national heritage was being sacrificed on the altar of consumerism and the environment.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>The vast majority of its future customers will never have sat in a Lotus before<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And yet a simple phrase from a child has summed up why Lotus needs to be here. My son doesn\u2019t care about 75 years of heritage and has no knowledge of Colin Chapman, Gold Leaf and Jim Clark, of Elises and Esprits. He judges this car totally at face value without any of our baggage \u2013 and he likes what he sees.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Admittedly, his interests are somewhat niche: the Eletre has cameras for wing mirrors and he can play electric window tennis with his younger brother, thanks to each rear seat having controls for both rear windows (worried parents \u2013 you can disable this). Such are the parameters of youth.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img00.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img00&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img01.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img01&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img02.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img02&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">But still, the wider point stands. If Lotus wants to sell 150,000 cars a year by 2028, the vast majority of people buying those cars will never have sat in a Lotus before. Just as even Ferrari isn\u2019t immune to the SUV, so it is with Lotus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">So we need to approach this test wearing two hats \u2013 there\u2019s the \u2018does it work <i>as a car<\/i>?\u2019 element and then the more nuanced \u2018how is it as a Lotus?\u2019 verdict.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It all looks pretty promising for the first part. Lotus has ticked a lot of boxes in its quest to build a modern SUV, far more than it ever used to do when it launched a sports car. To start with, it feels really well made. There\u2019s an integrity to the fit and finish that used to be notable for its absence in a Lotus \u2013 the controls have heft and solidity behind them, the enormous 29-inch infotainment screen works and largely has a sense of logic to it. Even the warranty is better, at five years and 100,000 miles. Say what you like about a Lotus being built in China, but if the upshot is an interior that feels like it will last the distance, then everyone is a winner (even if some of the gold plastic is a bit too much like one of those Chinese waving cats. You can\u2019t de-spec it).<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Lotus has always been amazing at doing the tricky stuff but couldn\u2019t sort the basics<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">This quality shouldn\u2019t be underestimated. Lotus has always been amazing at doing the tricky stuff \u2013 ride, handling, making a car dance with the driver \u2013 but couldn\u2019t get basics like heating correct. I drove an Exige once that did an excellent job of de-misting the windscreen, but only on the passenger side. Now, all of that is resolved. The boot is a decent size, the seats are comfortable and there\u2019s loads of room in the back. That may sound boring, but it matters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Standard kit is extensive, even in the base model. Massive 22-inch alloys, four-zone climate control, USB-C charge points everywhere, multiple options for the leather interior (including a hangover-inducing mint green option at \u00a34950), heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, brilliant speaker system \u2013 these are all crucial boxes that need ticking if Lotus is to compete with BMW and Mercedes. There\u2019s even a digital passenger display. In some previous Lotuses, you\u2019d be lucky to get a glovebox.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img03.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img03&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img04.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img04&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img05.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img05&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Naturally, all this comes with a weight penalty \u2013 founder Chapman\u2019s insistence of minimal weight has come to this, a 2.5-tonne four-wheel-drive behemoth. Lotus is at pains to stress the weight saving on offer \u2013 frameless aluminium doors save 6kg! \u2013 but in reality there\u2019s a 109kWh battery under the floor and no amount of aluminium (43 per cent of the platform) will counteract that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Still, if you work it out in pounds per person, the Eletre is actually a more efficient use of weight than the combustion-engined Emira sports car (504kg per body vs 702kg in the two-seater), so there\u2019s some good news to tell your mates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Eletre runs a permanent-magnet, twin-motor set-up (one on each axle) that produce 603bhp in the two lesser models. Zero to 62mph is 4.5 seconds, unremarkable for a punchy EV, so you\u2019ll need the \u00a3120,000 R with its two-speed transmission and 2.95sec time to get near a Tesla Model X Plaid. Its 800-volt cabling technology yields a maximum charge speed of up to 350kW, trumping the others on this test.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Doubtless owners would get used to it, but I don\u2019t see why the Audi\u2019s this complicated<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">That\u2019s in marked contrast to the Audi SQ8 e-Tron, with its maximum intake speed of just 170kW. Still, this latest version carries a larger battery pack of 106kWh that, along with more advanced asynchronous motors and a better aero package (the base Q8 e-tron\u2019s drag coefficient is a slippery 0.27), gain it better efficiency figures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The difficulty for Audi is that everyone else has also moved on, so the SQ8 is improved compared to its earlier iteration but still not class-leading. A claimed range of 269 miles is the poorest here and it\u2019s also the heaviest car. At 496bhp, it can\u2019t compete with the Lotus on power, but the tri-motor set-up yields 717lb ft which helps it match the Eletre\u2019s 0-62mph time.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img06.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img06&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img07.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img07&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img08.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img08&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img09.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img09&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Changes to the steering, air suspension and styling were also pushed through during the facelift, while the interior remains largely the same. It apes the twin touchscreens of other Audis (top is infotainment, bottom is climate control) but up against both the Lotus and Porsche isn\u2019t as immediately intuitive. The Lotus isn\u2019t perfect (why go to the bother of physical climate controls for changing the temperature and then burying the heated seats in the screen\u2019s menu??), but it\u2019s easier to master. In the Audi, it\u2019s a struggle to know where you should be aiming your finger, with sub-menus and shortcuts across both screens. Plus, the Lotus is more visually interesting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Doubtless owners would get used to it quickly, but I don\u2019t see why the Audi needs to be this complicated. Even the Taycan, with a similar twin-screen set-up, does a better job of separating what each display does.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Porsche Taycan has been on sale for the same amount of time as the Audi, but nailed its brief with much more certainty on day one. Even the Audi\u2019s name has changed (e-Tron to Q8 e-Tron), reflecting a rethink about naming conventions, but also suggesting a degree of uncertainty at Ingolstadt that hasn\u2019t been matched at Porsche. Other than the daft policy of calling an electric model a Turbo, the Porsche is clear in its aim.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>People are eager to know how the Eletre drives. The answer is that it\u2019s a little weird<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It joins this test as the least SUV-ish, with a boot and raised ride height (20mm over the Sport Turismo and saloon) but without the ultimate levels of practicality that define the Lotus and Audi; the rear seats are by far the tightest. But it\u2019s been our favourite EV ever since its launch, costs a similar (equally eye-watering) amount to the other two, and offers enough of a mix of usability and desirability to put it on many a wish list.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Like the Lotus, it\u2019s a skateboard battery arrangement with twin synchronous permanent-magnet motors. The Audi\u2019s asynchronous arrangement inherently gives more torque, but because the Porsche is 480kg lighter, the end result is a similar 0-62mph time. A twin-speed transmission, better for splitting the dual demands of punchy acceleration and efficient high-speed running, is standard on the Porsche.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Taycan feels the most dynamic of the trio, even sitting still. Part of that is to do with how much closer to the tarmac you sit (you very much drop down into the Porsche, whereas the Audi and Lotus require a slight hitch up), but also because the cabin environment is more enveloping. A large, clear digital dash lies ahead, in marked contrast to the Lotus\u2019s thin strip. Both work well, as does the Audi\u2019s multi-display set-up, but the Taycan feels more in tune with what makes Porsches special than the Eletre manages in terms of its Lotus heritage.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img10.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img10&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img11.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img11&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img12.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img12&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">One small point before we start driving them \u2013 given how adaptable touchscreens can be, why don\u2019t manufacturers adjust them for right-hand drive? Both the Porsche and Lotus have useful shortcuts buried over on the left-hand side, miles away from the driver.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">So\u2026 driving. Has any car intrigued as much as the Lotus in 2023? It certainly gets loads of attention whenever it stops, people eager to know how it drives. The answer is that it\u2019s a little weird.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The first thing that strikes you is the ride quality. Unlike Lotuses of the past, what happens at one corner affects another, so you\u2019re left with a sense of being rocked from side to side as you drive down the road. It\u2019s as if the anti-roll bar is too stiff so that everything is transmitted across the cabin, with no isolation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It\u2019s odd because the car comes with adaptive dampers and air suspension as standard, but there\u2019s no disguising that it feels too stiff, especially on trunk roads where you\u2019d want it to be more relaxing. Would the Lotus Dynamic Handling pack sort it? This comes with an active anti-roll bar and active rear-wheel steering, the former of which should help by disengaging the car\u2019s lateral stiffness when it\u2019s not needed. But it\u2019s also \u00a36599, so you\u2019d definitely want to know it works; it wasn\u2019t fitted to our test car.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>In the Taycan in Normal mode everything feels natural, reactive and lithe<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">There are several driving modes, including Tour and Sport, but Sport is by far the best in all circumstances. Even on bumpy roads I find myself using Sport more, because at least that way the whole chassis feels keyed in. It\u2019s too stiff, but at least it\u2019s consistently stiff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Driving the car hard is where you start to get more rewards. Because while on the motorway there\u2019s an odd buffeting (I keep thinking a window is open, but it isn\u2019t) and the ride is poor, pushing hard makes the car come alive a bit more. Getting on the power out of a corner brings the torque vectoring into play, tightening the line and giving a sense that the car is trying to engage with you. The steering, although with little feel, is precise and allows you to pick a line with confidence.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img13.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img13&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img14.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img14&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img15.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img15&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">But quirks remain. The steering goes oddly light in your hands if you accelerate hard. It\u2019s not the effortless process it should be in a \u00a3100k SUV.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">That doesn\u2019t happen in the Taycan, where there\u2019s a sense that the controls are all in equal play, a democratic set of engineering parameters that have been carefully honed to harmonise. In the Eletre, it feels like some are created more equal than others.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Porsche\u2019s driving modes \u2013 altering characteristics including the steering and damper stiffness \u2013 make much more sense. Normal mode is just what you need for 99 per cent of journeys. Everything feels natural, reactive and lithe; ask the car to do something and it behaves as you\u2019d expect. Nothing ever catches you out, with the result that you can concentrate on just enjoying driving. It\u2019s a beautiful car in which to relax into a drive, with enough effortless feel through the steering and seat to know exactly what is going on, but not so much that you\u2019re bombarded with unnecessary information.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Whereas the Porsche and Lotus have dynamic flair, there\u2019s very little with the Audi<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">That said, the brakes aren\u2019t as good as the Eletre\u2019s. The Lotus has more consistent weight through the pedal\u2019s movement, whereas the Taycan is too vague at the top of its travel. It\u2019s a strange miss from a firm that is so obsessed with braking performance and feel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The downside of that performance on all three cars is, of course, the economy figures. The test numbers we get are poor all around but don\u2019t reflect what you could expect if you were to spend longer in the cars over more mixed, less enthusiastic journeys, something that isn\u2019t possible during our brief time with the cars. The Audi should manage 220 miles, the Porsche 240 and the Lotus 300.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It\u2019s a shame the Audi can\u2019t compete with the efficiency of the others because a long journey in foul weather is otherwise its strongest suit. There\u2019s an ease of use that means you\u2019d pick the SQ8 if you needed to be somewhere with the least amount of hassle.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; module_class=&#8221;img-col-v2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||20px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img16.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img16&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img17.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img17&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img18.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img18&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img19.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img19&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The ride is the best on test. While the Eletre wobbles and the Taycan can get caught out by cross-axle ridges, the Audi absorbs it all with more fluidity, pushing across bumps rather than getting caught out by them. It\u2019s on larger and heavier wheels than the Taycan (21-inch versus 20-inch rims), but it doesn\u2019t get flustered if a wheel drops into a lumpier bit of tarmac.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Equally, though, there is very little excitement. Whereas the Porsche and Lotus have a bit of dynamic flair, there\u2019s very little going on underneath the skin of the Audi. Precise, safe, dull would be three words to sum up the experience. The tri-motor set-up promises much but doesn\u2019t give the same accelerative punch as the others here and doesn\u2019t allow the car to power-carve on the exit of a corner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The steering has been re-tuned for this facelifted version, including lowering the ratio for more precision, but it still doesn\u2019t get close to the others. The Porsche offers the most feedback, the Lotus is very precise, but the Audi just feels flat in your hands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Like in the Lotus, you\u2019ll need to disable the lane-keeping assistance system as soon as you set off. But mercifully there\u2019s a simple button on the end of the indicator stalk in the SQ8, whereas the Lotus requires a dive into the touchscreen. The Porsche system stays off once you\u2019ve set it that way \u2013 just one more instance of how it helps ease you into a journey.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=&#8221;final-reckoning&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; divider_weight=&#8221;3px&#8221; module_class=&#8221;divider-thin&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-ranking&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_2_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_2_text_color=&#8221;#d19707&#8243; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700||on|||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#d19707&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>The Final Reckoning<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;|800||on|||||&#8221; header_2_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;40px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;10px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img20.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img20&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-img-caption&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-15px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">So much is impressive about the new Lotus, but a \u00a390k newcomer needs to go the extra mile<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">There wasn\u2019t a huge amount of umm-ing and aah-ing when it came to picking a winner here. Or indeed the order in general. The Porsche remains the benchmark because it does so much more than it needs to; it\u2019s the clear choice if you want the best compromise between open-road ability and turning the motorway commute into a delight. It <i>makes<\/i> every journey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Eletre is a good effort, with enough interest in the chassis and controls to give it enough differentiation to place it comfortably second. But it\u2019s not as resolved as the Taycan, lacking that car\u2019s natural ability and sense that it\u2019s at ease with itself. The Lotus tries hard, almost too much so, but can\u2019t rise above the fundamental constraints inherent in an electric SUV.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In third place, it\u2019s difficult to avoid the sense that the world has moved on since Audi launched the e-Tron back in 2018. Time has not been kind to it. The current SQ8 e-Tron is now too ordinary in too many ways, with too few defining features, and doesn\u2019t shine among the growing field of premium electric SUVs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And aside from the way the cars drive, what about the way they do \u2013 or don\u2019t \u2013 fit in with the heritage of their respective brands, particularly the more sport-focused Porsche and Lotus? One has that magic in spades, the other is searching for it. To come back to my original question \u2013 does the Eletre work as a Lotus?<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;car-pullquote-notac&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4E87CA&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Lotus will need to find a way to make its electric cars stand out more in the future<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">That\u2019s not something that will worry every potential buyer; not everyone is as hung up as we are on the heritage of the car makers we love. But I think the firm will need to find a way to make its electric cars stand out more in the future. Lotus has nailed the bit that it used to fail on \u2013 building a car that\u2019s happy in everyday use \u2013 but now it will need to find a way to inject something extra. That point of differentiation will be increasingly vital as more and more players enter this market \u2013 it\u2019s one of the few elements that so-called legacy manufacturers can wield against the upstarts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Porsche does it, BMW largely manages \u2013 so it should come as no surprise that they often finish at the front end of multi-car tests. Their sense of purpose and character percolates through, touching not just hardcore enthusiasts but everyone, so even people not particularly into their cars have a sense of what\u2019s special about the brand. Audi and Lotus need to rediscover it. <b>car<\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=&#8221;brand-rundown&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-ranking&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_2_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_2_text_color=&#8221;#d19707&#8243; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;15px||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>1st<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-vehicle-name&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600||on|||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||10px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">PORSCHE TAYCAN<span class=\"s1\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||5px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Five years post-launch and it\u2019s still the benchmark. Staggering given it was so early to the EV party<br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"star-rating-wrap\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-ranking&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_2_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_2_text_color=&#8221;#d19707&#8243; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;15px||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>2nd<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-vehicle-name&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600||on|||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||10px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">LOTUS ELETRE<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||5px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">A Lotus but not as we know it. Impressive debut but needs to find an identity, and fast, in this brave new world<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"star-rating-wrap\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star-outline.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-ranking&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_2_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_2_text_color=&#8221;#d19707&#8243; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;15px||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>3rd<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;rundown-vehicle-name&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600||on|||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||10px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">AUDI SQ8 E-TRON<span class=\"s1\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||5px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Capable but vanilla. What is it meant to do? If you go for one, save some money and opt for the standard Q8 e-Tron instead<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"star-rating-wrap\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star-outline.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/star-outline.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"star-icon\"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=&#8221;facts-figures&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img21.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img21&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800||on|||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #d19707\">Facts &amp; Figures<\/span> | <b>LOTUS ELETRE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the line-up?<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">You can have your Eletre three ways \u2013 standard, S and R. The hardware mostly stays the same \u2013 air suspension, active torque vectoring, four-wheel drive, 109kWh battery \u2013 but an S gets more luxe inside like 23-speaker audio and soft-close doors. The \u00a3120,000 R is the hot one, gaining more power (905bhp, 0-62mph in under 3.0sec) and the necessary dynamic upgrades (Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack, sticky tyres) to justify the price hike\/keep it on the road.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Data<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Price<\/b> \u00a389,500<br \/><b>Powertrain<\/b> 109kWh battery, two e-motors, all-wheel drive<br \/><b>Performance<\/b> 603bhp, 524lb ft, 4.5sec 0-62mph, 160mph<br \/><b>Weight<\/b> 2520kg<br \/><b>Efficiency<\/b> 4.7 miles per kWh (claimed), 1.7 miles per kWh (tested), 373-mile range (claimed), 185-mile range (tested)<br \/><b>Length\/width\/height<\/b> 5103\/2135\/1636mm<br \/><b>Boot capacity<\/b> 688 litres<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=&#8221;facts-figures&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img22.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img22&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800||on|||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #d19707\">Facts &amp; Figures<\/span> | AUDI SQ8 E-TRON BLACK EDITION<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the line-up?<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Regular Q8 e-Tron prices start from \u00a368,685 but that car comes with a more modest 400-odd horsepower. The SQ8, available in both SUV and coupe-ish Sportback bodies, gets the full 496bhp thanks to its third motor, added at the rear. Black Edition and Vorsprung are the trim levels for SQ8, the latter starting at \u00a3113,785 and gaining extra kit including additional safety features and better lights. The Q8 e-Tron should not be confused with the combustion-engined Q8.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Data<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Price<\/b> \u00a3105,595<br \/><b>Powertrain<\/b> 106kWh battery, three e-motors, all-wheel drive<br \/><b>Performance<\/b> 496bhp, 717lb ft, 4.5sec 0-62mph, 130mph<br \/><b>Weight<\/b> 2725kg<br \/><b>Efficiency<\/b> 2.2 miles per kWh (claimed), 1.7 miles per kWh (tested), 269-mile range (claimed), 180-mile range (tested)<br \/><b>Length\/width\/height<\/b> 4915\/2189\/1631mm<br \/><b>Boot capacity<\/b> 569 litres<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_class=&#8221;facts-figures&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/04\/img23.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;img23&#8243; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|800||on|||||&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #d19707\">Facts &amp; Figures<\/span> | PORSCHE TAYCAN 4S CROSS TURISMO<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the line-up?<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Heinz 57 of the car world. The Taycan comes as a saloon, the booted Sport Turismo and this booted-but-also-slightly-raised-up Cross Turismo. Within those body styles, there are myriad powertrain and trim options, from the base rear-wheel-drive car to all-wheel drive, S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S. The options list is equally long and also just as capable of relieving you of your hard-earned, like \u00a3917 for leather-covered seat control switches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4484c6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3>Data<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.20.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Price<\/b> \u00a395,200<br \/><b>Powertrain<\/b> 83kWh battery, two e-motors, all-wheel drive<br \/><b>Performance<\/b> 483bhp, 479lb ft, 4.1sec 0-62mph, 149mph<br \/><b>Weight<\/b> 2245kg<br \/><b>Efficiency<\/b> 2.8 miles per kWh (claimed), 2.5 miles per kWh (tested), 296-mile range (claimed), 207-mile range (tested)<br \/><b>Length\/width\/height<\/b> 4974\/2144\/1409mm<br \/><b>Boot capacity<\/b> 446 litres<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lotus Eletre | Audi SQ8 E-Tron | Porche Taycan | Cross TurismoLeaving a LegacyThree firms built on high-performance cars with engines now meet on less familiar territory: the world of electric SUVs. Does their magic work here?Words Name herePhotography Name here\u2018Daddy, when I grow up, I\u2019m definitely going to save up to buy this car.\u2019 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-300-mile-test"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"kschwarz","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions\/475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/car\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}