Ingolstadt: Audi has unveiled the Nuvolari, its first production supercar with a high-performance hybrid powertrain, and the numbers are dramatic enough to make even a racetrack marshal blink twice.
The new Audi Nuvolari is set to become the most powerful and fastest production vehicle in Audi’s history, with 1,001 PS, a claimed top speed of more than 350 km/h, and a limited production run of just 499 units. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027.
Named after legendary Italian racing driver Tazio Nuvolari, the supercar combines a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine with three axial-flux electric motors, creating a hybrid system that produces 736 kW, or 1,001 PS. The V8 alone develops 800 hp and can rev up to 10,000 rpm, which is usually the kind of number that belongs on a race pit wall, not a road-car brochure.
Audi says the Nuvolari can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 6.8 seconds. At that pace, your morning coffee may technically still be in the cup, but emotionally it has left the cabin.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said the Nuvolari represents the brand’s push toward technological progress. “With the Audi Nuvolari, we are accelerating technological progress,” he said, adding that the car shows what is possible when technology, performance and teamwork come together.
The Nuvolari also marks a major design shift for Audi. It is the first production vehicle to follow the company’s new design philosophy, featuring taut surfaces, intelligent aerodynamics and a mid-engine layout that gives it a low, wide and aggressive stance. The car is finished in Audi’s new signature Titanium colour, also seen on the Audi Concept C and the brand’s Formula 1 race car.
A major highlight is the new quattro predictive ride system. Using sensor data such as steering angle, acceleration, yaw rate and grip level, the system can predict a possible loss of traction and respond before the driver has time to panic or blame the tyres. Torque distribution, braking and aerodynamic changes are managed together to keep the car stable through corners, wet roads and high-speed conditions.
The Nuvolari offers four drive modes: E-Hybrid, Balanced, Dynamic and Dynamic+. A dedicated Track Mode further allows drivers to adjust traction control settings from wet-road safety to full racetrack madness.
Audi has also introduced an Audi Space Frame with a carbon exterior for the Nuvolari. Nearly all exterior components are made from carbon fibre reinforced polymer, developed using Formula 1 expertise. The aim is simple: low weight, high rigidity and the kind of structural seriousness that says, “Yes, this car has read the rulebook and then outrun it.”
The active aerodynamics system includes a deployable rear wing with Closed, Low Downforce and High Downforce settings. In performance modes, the wing automatically adjusts for straights, corners and braking zones. There is also a Formula 1-style DRS function, activated via a steering-wheel button, to reduce drag and help the car reach higher speeds.
Audi says the aero package can generate more than 400 kg of downforce, depending on driving conditions. That should be enough to make the Nuvolari feel glued to the road, though not enough to stop owners from explaining downforce at dinner parties.
The braking system is equally serious. The new Audi Ceramic Pro setup uses a brake-by-wire system, with ten-piston calipers and 420 mm discs at the front, and four-piston calipers with 410 mm discs at the rear. Audi claims the system has an energy absorption capacity of up to 2.8 megawatts, putting it on par with a current Formula 1 car.
Inside, the Nuvolari follows a driver-focused layout with reduced controls, digital displays and physical switches placed directly within the driver’s field of view. The cabin uses dark tones at the front for concentration and a lighter Shadow Dune shade toward the rear. Lightweight carbon-fibre seats are designed to provide both comfort and strong lateral support.
Audi CTO Rouven Mohr said Formula 1 has played a major role in shaping the car. “Formula 1 is a key impulse to bring innovations to the road quickly and with precision,” he said.
With its hybrid powertrain, carbon-heavy construction, active aerodynamics and motorsport-inspired braking system, the Audi Nuvolari is not just another limited-edition supercar. It is Audi’s loudest statement yet that the future of performance will not be quiet, sensible or remotely patient.
And with only 499 units planned, most people will see it only in photos, videos or dreams. But considering it does 0–100 km/h in 2.6 seconds, even seeing one in real life may require excellent reflexes.
