Audi Nuvolari undergoing high-performance testing

Just a few days ago Audi wowed the world with a brand new supercar called the Nuvolari (original article here) . The mid-engined machine came as a bit of a surprise as we had been told that there’d be no replacement for the discontinued R8. But that seems to have changed and fans of the Four-Rings can rejoice that the Nuvolari will go on sale in the first half of 2027.

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A Quick Reminder

The Nuvolari is based on an aluminium spacefram that is clad in carbon-fibre panels. Audi says the carbon-fibre components were developed with Formula 1 techniques, including prepreg autoclave curing, where carbon is laid up by hand, then baked under high pressure and temperature. The styling has to be one of the big talking points of the car, boasting a shape that is unlike anything else we have seen from the brand. The feedback, thus far, has been positive.

Lambo… Twin-turbo Power

The hybrid powertrain of the Nuvolari, while not officially stated, seems to be borrowed from the Lamborghini Temerario. A twin-turbo V8 alone makes 588 kW and 730 N.m, and Audi says it will spin to 10 000 r/min. That last stat rings true of the Italian cousin as well. The electric side consists of two 110 kW motors on the front axle; helping with torque vectoring. A third 110 kW motor sits between the mid-mounted V8 and the transmission.

Total system output is 736 kW, or 1 001 hp (identical to the original Veyron). This makes it the most powerful Audi road car, ever. Audi claims 0 to 100 km/h in 2,6 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 6,8 and a top speed of more than 350 km/h. All-wheel-drive is, of course, standard.

Testing Times

The Nuvolari is undergoing testing in a variety of locales that represent real-world testing scenarios. Among these are the world-famous Nurburgring (article here). In addition the retro-futuristic supercar as been pounding laps around the VW Group’s own Nardò Technical Center. The Nardo Ring, as it is sometimes called, is based in Southern Italy.

Nardo is well known for its perfectly circular, 12,6 km track that has been the site of many a world record. This makes it the perfect place to test the fastest Audi road car ever made. In addition the facility has many other dynamic test tracks. You can see Audi test drivers hooning the Nuvolari in the video below, giving the new supercar a thorough workout.

Do you think this Audi has the right ingredient to take the fight to the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini? Drop a comment to let us know what you think.