Audi's New Supercar Is The Most Powerful Audi Ever, And It Has An Engine You'll Love
Named for an iconic Audi racing driver from the same era as the new car's styling, this will be a limited-production hybrid with nearly 1,000 horsepower and a top speed well beyond 200 miles per hour.
Audi's Fastest, Most Powerful Car Ever
Total power output is 1,001 PS, or 987 in American horsepower, making it the most powerful production Audi ever built. It can run zero to 62 mph in 2.6 seconds, hit 120 in 6.8, and run to a top speed in excess of 217 miles per hour, making it the fastest Audi as well.
The front drive units contribute to a new level of quattro control. Variable torque vectoring for all four corners combines with the new control system for grip and stability in all road conditions. It has four modes, including a short-distance EV mode and a full-on Track Mode.
The track version lets you dial up wet and dry programs. It also allows you to vary the traction control from race-ready to completely off in steps to make your track day quicker or more enjoyable or both.
"The Audi Nuvolari looks really cool and unique. For me, what truly counts is the overall package — that is, how the car feels, how precisely it responds, and how well performance and drivability complement each other." - Nico Hülkenberg, Audi Revolut F1 Team driver
Aluminum Chassis, Carbon Panels, F1 Aero
Nuvolari uses an aluminum chassis with carbon fiber body panels - which differs from the Temerario's carbon fiber monocoque. Audi's F1 team helped with the development, including manufacturing of the panels. The F1 team also helped develop the aerodynamics package that lets it go so fast, and F1 team drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were involved in the test-driving.
It has active aerodynamic elements including front intakes and a three-position deployable rear wing. The rear wing operates automatically in most modes, dropping for top speed and working like an air brake under braking and in corners. But it has a steering wheel button for an F1-like DRS mode for temporary max speed runs.
Audi's brake-by-wire system uses new Audi Ceramic Pro brakes. Ten-piston calipers up front on 16.5-inch rotors and four-pot rears with only slightly smaller rotors help do the clamping and stop the car over and over again, even on track. They have their own internal cooling, but the car can stop at 0.3g without them using regenerative braking.
Inside, the Nuvolari has color accents and graphics that call back to the company's 1930s Type C race cars. It's meant to be functional and driver-focused. The minimalism and lack of curves are details that will probably continue into future Audi models.
Named For A Legendary Audi Driver
Tazio Nuvolari started racing cars in 1925, winning races and championships for Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati before switching to Auto Union in 1937. Auto Union was one of the predecessors of modern Audi, and he stayed with the team until 1939. The yellow and black colors in the teasers are a nod to the sweater he wore during every race.
Nuvolari was one of the all-time greats. He's a driver Ferdinand Porsche once called "the greatest driver of the past, the present, and the future." And this isn't the first time Audi used his name on a vehicle. The Nuvolari concept car in 2003 looked like a scaled-up Audi TT with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V10 under the ultra-long hood. The company also offered a limited-edition TT Nuvolari exclusively for the Italian market back in 2014. It was strictly an appearance package.
Audi said it plans to build just 499 units of this R8 replacement. It didn't hint at pricing, but it is going to be expensive. The Nuvolari, or at least a version of it, is headed to the US as well. Audi USA said that specs and information could vary from this European release, but it will send out more info in the future. If you want one, you should probably already be on the horn to your Audi dealer.
