The customers and guests of the brand with the four rings will be able to experience Formula E's city circuits as passengers in the Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo starting at the race in Rome (April 14).

The million-selling game has long acquired cult status with gamers around the globe. Audi has been working together with Sony and Polyphony Digital - the creators of 'Gran Turismo' - for nearly 20 years. Audi designers created the Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo for the 'Vision Gran Turismo' competition that was launched on the market on the occasion of the popular game's 15^th anniversary. Numerous automobile manufacturers developed virtual race cars for the contest.

Many of these concept cars were subsequently built as full-scale models as well and presented at trade shows. The Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo, however, is the first concept car of this range to be deployed to real-world race tracks as a fully functional vehicle.

The Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo has permanent all-wheel drive as well, the fully electric e-tron quattro all-wheel drive with variable power distribution. Three electric motors, each with output of 200kW, propel the concept car. Two electric motors drive the rear axle and the third one the front axle, using individual components from the future Audi e-tron. System output is 815bhp.

With a curb weight of 1,450kg, the electric race car has a power to weight ratio of 1.78kg per horsepower with ideal 50:50 percent weight distribution between the front and the rear axle.

The futuristic race taxi will be deployed at all European Formula E races and numerous other events in 2018. At the wheel will be former DTM driver Rahel Frey from Switzerland or Le Mans winner Dindo Capello from Italy.

This is the start of something completely new. Audi Sport launched the Vision Gran Turismo car on April 9th.