Audi just embarrassed many a supercar maker with the Nuvolari
Audi hasn’t been the same without the R8. The brand tried with the e-tron GT, and as a fast, refined electric grand tourer, it delivered. But it never scratched the itch left behind by the R8. Audi’s Nuvolari is its attempt to do exactly that.
While Audi doesn’t refer to it as the R8’s replacement, it’s the brand’s first supercar with a high-performance hybrid powertrain. With only 499 examples planned, a roughly R10 million price tag and a hybridised powerplant, it’s not picking up where the R8 left off per se, as much as it may represent an altogether new direction.
The design is pretty menacing, and if you pay attention to detail, you can spot some R8 influence here and there. Good thing, though, and in our opinion, this stands out amongst the Ferrari Luce, Jaguar Type 01 and Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door. Besides the design being interesting, the name is, too. It’s named after Tazio Nuvolari, the pre-war Auto Union racer who had a habit of scaring his opponents at the start line before the race. It’s a weird way of naming a car, but it works.
The Nuvolari packs a 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine borrowed from the Lamborghini Temerario and pairs it with a high-performance hybrid powertrain featuring three electric motors powered by a 7.3kWh battery pack, delivering a maximum power output of 736kW. The engine alone pumps out 730Nm while the two electric motors at the front axle produce up to 2,150Nm. The third electric motor sits at the back with the engine. The whole architecture of the Nuvolari is familiar, given Audi and Lamborghini’s history. The R8 shared its parts bin with both the Gallardo and Huracán supercars, so the Nuvolari continues the tradition.
Its performance is wild. A 0-100km/h sprint is dispatched in an electric AMG GT 4-Door-threatening 2.6 seconds before hitting its maximum velocity at 350km/h. Audi won’t say which gearbox the Nuvolari shuffles through, but, like in the Temerario, it could make use of the same 8-speed DCT.
For the first time, the Nuvolari’s architecture combines Audi’s Space Frame technology with lightweight construction to improve handling and control. Audi says almost all exterior components of the supercar are made from carbon fibre using ‘expertise learnt from Formula 1’. What stands out for us, though, is the forged centre-lock wheels, which are making their debut in the brand’s production lineup.
Apart from the active rear wing that delivers more than 400kg of downforce when extended, the Nuvolari features what Audi calls the Ceramic Pro braking system, which has been designed for better braking even under hard stopping conditions on the track.
Then there’s the driver-focused interior, which incorporates digital displays and physical controls as well as colour accents that nod to the iconic Auto Union Type C race car. From what we see in the pictures, there are lightweight seats, large paddle shifters, a sporty steering wheel that’s reminiscent of the R8’s, a big digital instrument cluster, and a large driver-centric infotainment screen.
Only 499 units of the Nuvolari will be made, with owners earmarked to receive their units in the first quarter of 2027. To answer the big question of whether this would fill the void left by the R8, not quite. But with an actual V8 engine, it does something the e-Tron failed to do, and right now, that’s enough. At least Audi didn’t go fully electric with this one; some of us still want to enjoy the thrilling sound of a V8. Perhaps some rivals chasing full electrification could take note. We’re talking to you, AMG, Jaguar and Ferrari…
