ROAD TEST Does the new electric Audi come up to scratch?

POWER 469 bhp

0-62MPH 4.1 seconds

RANGE Up to 298 miles

STREAMING Wow – Kate Bush

Road Test

Audi’s e-tron GT quattro all-electric grand tourer has everything – apart from a class-leading battery range, says Jeremy Taylor

TOWN

Like a new Beyoncé album, Audi has been through a renaissance with e-tron, a range of all-electric models that will eventually dominate its entire fleet. The flagship e-tron GT may be silent but it’s a sound buy. Long, low and sleek, this four-door sports coupe is fitted with two powerful electric motors instead of an engine, giving the Audi four-wheel drive handling ability. It’s seriously quick and quite possibly the most stylish electric car on the road. The Audi’s stretched body also offers excellent front and rear legroom, while an enormous panoramic glass roof gives the impression of extra headroom.

Elsewhere, the dashboard is functional and easy to use but oddly, nowhere near as avant-garde as an electric Volvo, or BMW. The central infotainment screen is modestly sized, while much of the switchgear is borrowed from conventional Audis.

Around town, passengers benefit from smooth acceleration inside a whisper-quiet cabin. Choose the Efficiency drive mode and e-tron uses regenerative braking to top up the battery on the move. With sky-high fuel prices, you feel extra smug about economy too. Audi’s rapid charging system also allows drivers to top-up the 95 kWh battery with a 60-mile boost in just five minutes. However, as 270 kWh chargers are hard to find, most owners will likely leave the GT to power up overnight at home.

COUNTRY

With enough space for five people and an extraordinarily quiet cabin, the GT is a fantastic car for long distance touring. Well, it would be except the official range of 298 miles can’t compete with a Tesla Model S, or the best of BMW.

In fact, real-world driving would suggest the GT is only good for 235 miles, so most drivers will be anxiously looking at their battery level after 200 miles. Remember, the Tesla travels 400 between charges.

Even so, a Tesla can’t match Audi drive and handling qualities. Despite the weight of a battery pack, the steering is light and responsive. The GT can also be specified with four-wheel steering to make the car feel even more dynamic at speed, as well as easier to park.

Oh, and if you miss the sound of a sporty exhaust, Audi also offer a noise generator to ween drivers off their combustion engine habit.

The GT has plenty of performance to match the looks but, for even more shove, the £113,000 RS version has more powerful electric motors that cut the 0-62mph dash to a supercar-like 3.3 seconds (as well as reducing its range, though).

THE DRIVE

DESTINATION: DRAENLLWYNELLEN, POWYS Silence is golden – and increasingly difficult to find. Post-pandemic, aircraft are back in our skies, engines a constant background noise – is there anywhere left to escape?

Draenllwynellen is as difficult to find as it is to pronounce. A remote farmhouse cottage, the three-bed retreat nestles in an elevated position near Montgomery, Powys. Sipping a morning cup of tea in a suntrap courtyard, the only disturbances are mooing cows and the cry of a circling red kite.

Yes, there is good internet here but I’m sure other guests like me find themselves switching off to bask in the tranquility of the place, marvelling at its mesmerising views across the Kerry Ridgeway and Shropshire Hills.

And don’t rely on your sat-nav to get here. For once, it’s really important to study the directions. Look for the red phone box, a hillside track and a co-driver willing to open three stock gates. Anyone precious about grass scuffing car paintwork should look elsewhere.

In fact, I’d say Draenllwynellen is the perfect getaway for motorcyclists – apart from the gates, of course. It even has an open-front tractor shed, perfect for sheltering a couple of machines. I’ve chosen a BMW 1250 RT. Powerful, refined and packed with features, it’s one of those touring motorbikes that gentlemen of a certain age ease in to – like a favourite pair of slippers.

The RT features the same slick engine as the off-road GS 1250 adventure bike – the UK’s best-selling machine – but will get you there feeling relaxed and, thanks to an enormous fairing, much drier too. Comforts include heated handgrips and seat, plus an adjustable electric windscreen! For epic rides to mid-Wales and beyond, the RT is also equipped with two waterproof panniers. Fill them up at home, clip them on to the bike and then unhook at the destination. They’re sleek and very presentable at any hotel reception, too.

The 10-inch infotainment screen is larger than the systems in many cars. It connects via Bluetooth to a phone where there’s a BMW app for navigation, although it’s tiresome to have to use via a mobile for input every time. Speakers in the pannier housing will play your favourite tunes.

Apart from different ride modes to suit conditions, the bike is packed with safety features, just like a car. ABS brakes, traction control and even a hill-start system that acts like a handbrake – the BMW has it all.

The RT is a big machine and so not ideal for city commuters. But for anyone hoping to get far from the madding crowd – and negotiate the track to Draenllwynellen – saddle up on an RT.

Escape the noise of modern life at Draenllwynellen farmhouse in Wales

BOOK IT: From £587 for three nights. ruralretreats.co.uk

BMW R 1250 RT

PRICE From £16,500

ENGINE 2-cylinder, 1,254cc four-stroke

POWER 136 hp

MAX SPEED 124 mph

SEAT HEIGHT 760-850mm

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IN THE BOOT

HOT & COLD JACKET This waxed cotton motorcycle jacket by Merlin features zip out thermal lining for sunny rides – and body armour protection. Chigwell, £250. merlinbikegear.com

NOISE ANNOYS Motorcyclists or owners of noisy classic cars need these cool earplugs in funky colours, they reduce sound by 18 decibels. Experience Pro Earplugs, £30.95. loopearplugs.com

RETRO HELMET The Glamster is a full-face, retro-modern helmet for riding in style. Available in a cool collection of colours. Glamster, £410. shoei-europe.com