Is electromobility killing the popular sports versions?: Tarnished sports badges

Because the electric models are not only better equipped on average than the comparable combustion engines, but often also offer driving performance that leaves little to be desired even in the basic version – apart from the top speed. The automotive industry went through a learned practice for many decades: the cheap entry-level models hardly made any money for the car manufacturers and they were mostly only driven by those customers who didn’t care about the vehicles or who couldn’t / didn’t want to afford them anymore. The broad masses chose the drive and equipment from the broad middle and those who could afford it opted for a sports version or top model as the epitome of their automotive dreams. A VW Golf made no difference to a Mazda 6, the small Toyota Yaris or a gigantic Cadillac SUV.

The new electromobility is shaking the whole car world and the manufacturers are ruling with their very own indolence. In order to reduce costs, the variants themselves have to be greatly reduced, but it is precisely these, with their surcharge design, that ensure the impressive returns not only for the German brands. The endlessly long lists of special equipment have therefore been reduced again and again by a tolerable amount for years – but the big steps were missing, especially in Europe. Nevertheless, the differences in terms of vehicle and equipment variants are still huge for German premium manufacturers compared to a volume manufacturer from the USA or Japan. The spectrum is particularly thin with the new electrical manufacturers such as Nio, Rivian, Tesla or Aiways, where only a few colors, equipment packages and drive versions are usually offered.

However, the fact that today’s cars have better and better standard equipment and driver assistance systems are now just as standard as navigation units or comfort details is only one side of the coin. The problem for the car manufacturers could be much greater that the supposed basic version already fulfills the driving dynamics wishes of the customers and the neighbor can no longer be outdone with a sporty signet on the rear. The best example is the electronics manufacturer Tesla, which does not openly communicate its engine performance at all, but only shows on the trunk lid which battery pack or drive (rear or all-wheel drive) it is using. Because customers and observers usually know only too well: Tesla Model 3 or Model X have more than enough power anyway. Even many customers don’t know exactly how much.

What turns out to be difficult when chatting at the regulars’ table in the tennis center is boasting about performance data and corresponding driving impressions. Here the electric motors have brought a completely new situation. Because even the basic electric variant often sprints like a real sports car right from the start thanks to maximum torque. A VW ID.3 makes no difference to a Porsche Taycan or a Volvo XC40 Recharge. In addition, tired basic versions are often a thing of the past. Because the VW ID.3 as a supposedly new electric future Golf, for example, is currently not available under 150 kW / 204 PS. From a standing start, the electric model accelerates to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. Those were the best times for the Golf GTI. The basic version of the Porsche Taycan also sprints with an impressive 350 kW / 476 hp from a standing start to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, and the Volvo XC40 Recharge is already available with an impressive 300 kW / 408 hp. There is not much room left for sports versions. If it weren’t for the tiresome top speed, because this is where some electric models get stuck. The VW ID.3 is obligatorily limited to a narrow 160 km/h and the powerful Volvo also drives at a maximum of 180 km/h. Volkswagen is positioning its crossover ID.4 GTX with 220 kW / 229 hp as a supposed sports model above the tamer versions – but the GTX is really sportier at best because of its all-wheel drive. And at 180 km/h the fun is over anyway. More is not possible with one or the other electric model, even for an extra charge. While Mercedes locks its EQS 580 at 210 km/h or Audi brakes its E-Tron at 200 km/h, Porsche lets its base model Taycan drive at a speed of 230 km/h. Apart from that, the differences behind the wheel in normal operation are manageable.

The sporty aftertaste is just as unnoticeable in imposing power models with the RS, M or AMG logo as it is in a Porsche Taycan GTS / Turbo. In everyday use, the significantly more powerful and correspondingly expensive sports models hardly drive any differently than the standard versions. In addition, the top models such as the Audi E-Tron GT, BMW iX, Mercedes EQS or Porsche Taycan hardly look any different than the weaker basic models. Here there were sometimes clear and recognizable differences with the combustion engines, because an Audi RS6 / RS7 has wider body elements than an A6 / A7. The situation is similar with a Mercedes AMG E63 compared to a normal E-Class. The massive and almost frightening air intakes of the athletes are mostly left out in the electric versions. Thus, not only the driving dynamics, but also the visual distinguishing features are missing. There is a lot to do for the international car manufacturers to position the particularly profitable sports badge on four wheels in the minds of the customers.