- Audi Nuvolari revealed as successor to the R8
- First supercar with a hybrid powertrain
- Most powerful and fastest production Audi in history
- 1,001 PS, 0-62mph in 2.6 seconds
- Limited to just 499 units
- Set to cost from around £500,000, set to arrive in 2027
Audi has revealed its most powerful and fastest production car of all time - the awesome new Nuvolari.
Ferrari enthusiasts might be looking at the Nuvolari with a certain degree of envy.
While Ferrari has gone down the fully electric route with its controversial Luce, the Audi Nuvolari is a cutting-edge plug-in hybrid that hugs the apex when it comes to the brand’s tried-and-trusted design language.
Both the Ferrari Luce and this new Nuvolari will cost from around £500,000, with the Audi limited to just 499 units.
There are similar performance stats, too, with the Audi capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 2.6 seconds (the Ferrari will do the same in 2.5 seconds).
Only history will decide whether the Luce is a success or not (early impressions are not great…) but Audi fanatics will immediately want a Nuvolari on their driveway if they can afford one.
As Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, explains: “It shows what is possible when the focus is on technology, performance, and execution through teamwork - and when we achieve progress together.”
Here’s everything you need to know.
(Audi's Gernot Döllner with the Nuvolari)
Is the Audi Nuvolari a plug-in hybrid?
Yes. While many expected Audi’s next supercar to be fully electric, they’ve gone down the plug-in hybrid route. It makes the Nuvolari a sibling car to the Lamborghini Temerario, with Lamborghini, like Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group of manufacturers.
At the heart of the Nuvolari is a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine that combines with three electric motors (two on the front axle, a third between the V8 mid-engine and the transmission) to develop power of 1,001 PS.
Acceleration from 0-62mph goes by in 2.6 seconds while the Nuvolari will hit a top speed of 217 mph.
Torque outputs are gargantuan - the combustion engine delivers 730 Nm while the two oil-cooled axial flux electric motors at the front axle deliver up to 2,150 Nm.
The Nuvolari’s battery is relatively small in the grand scheme of PHEVs, measuring 7.3 kWh, but it translates to a small electric range in low speed, urban settings and the hybrid set up means electric deceleration shoulders much of the braking.
The Nuvolari will be seen by many as a successor to the old Audi R8, which was powered by a traditional 5.2-litre V10.
(Audi R8)
When it bowed out of the Audi range in 2024, the R8 could accelerate from 0-62mph in around 3.4 seconds - making the Nuvolari a heck of a lot quicker.
And what about the claim that the Nuvolari is the ‘fastest and most powerful’ production Audi? The current title goes to the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance, which gets 925
PS, a 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds (quicker than the Nuvolari…) but a lesser top speed limited to 155mph.
Is the Audi Nuvolari all-wheel drive?
Yes, while the old R8 was available with a rear-wheel drive set up, the Nuvolari is strictly quattro all-wheel drive.
A predictive ride system anticipates a potential loss of grip in a corner, and then responds proactively to keep you on the straight and narrow.
You’ve also got a choice of four driving modes, from ‘E-Hybrid’ (the switches to electric power for short-distance use) to full on ‘Dynamic+’ and ‘Track Mode’, the latter of which lets you adjust the traction control to suit your driving style.
Does the Audi Nuvolari borrow tech from Formula 1?
It does - and plenty of it.
One of the Nuvolari’s party pieces is its ‘Space Frame’, with almost all exterior components made from carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) to reduce weight while ensuring structural strength.
There are also clever active aerodynamics at play, from the ‘S-duct’ front end to the adaptive rear wing, which can be deployed in three configurations to boost downforce (up to 400 kg of it).
What’s the interior of the Audi Nuvolari like?
The cabin of the Audi Nuvolari is minimalist, with the focus placed on the act of driving rather than the person behind the wheel being surrounded by tech.
Audi describes how ‘digital displays and physical controls follow a consistent logic, enabling natural interaction’.
There’s a liberal use of anodized aluminium, too, which can be seen in the controls, air vents and frame of the central display.
Where does the Audi Nuvolari name come from?
The Audi Nuvolari takes its name from a chap called Tazio Nuvolari, an Italian racing driver who shot to fame in the 1920s and 1930s for his fearless driving style.
He raced for Auto Union, Audi’s predecessor (you can read more about the history of Audi) and won several major trophies for the team, including the 1938 Italian Grand Prix.
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