Audi has been busy stripping away everything that wasn’t strictly necessary from the RS Q e-tron E2, and has come out with the evolution of the off-road racer. A lightened, more aerodynamic, and simpler vehicle to use, Audi hopes it will earn it more wins in the dirt. Although the rules for its class of racing have actually raised the minimum weight to 2,100 kg from 2,000 kg, Audi still wanted to make the RS Q e-tron lighter.

That meant stripping away all kinds of body work, specifically around the rear of the vehicle. The brand has also worked to optimize the way it lays the fabric layers of the composite for the body, contributing to an overall lighter structure, and the lowering of the vehicle’s center of gravity. It also makes it easier to reach the spare wheel, because there’s simply less bodywork in the way. The new model now measures 4,670 mm long, 2,300 mm tall and 1,950 mm wide, making it nearly 170 mm longer than the original RS Q e-tron. The modifications also mean that the body is 15 percent more aerodynamic than its predecessor. According to Axel Löffler, the SUV’s chief designer, the E2 doesn’t share a single body panel with the first-generation RS Q e-tron.

 

That won’t help it hit a higher top speed, since it was always capable of reaching the regulation-limited top speed of 170 km/h, but it does still offer a major advantage for the electrically-driven vehicle. Further improving efficiency is the air conditioning unit. An important factor in desert racing, Audi found that the first-generation model’s A/C compressor was so strong that it would freeze the coolant when it was run for long periods of time. It has, therefore, reprogrammed the unit to run intermittently, saving power and cooling the car nearly as effectively.

The E2 variant retains the original RS Q e-tron’s range-extender powertrain that combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four gasoline engine that charges a 50.0-kWh battery which in turn, feeds two electric motors, one on each axle producing a combined limited output of around 400hp, though they are technically capable of delivering a little over 670 hp.

The Audi RS Q e-tron will make its competition debut at the Rally du Maroc from October 1 to 6 and will then compete at the 2023 Dakar Rally.