In a surprise move Audi has revealed a new 736kW (that’s 1001hp) hybrid supercar called the Nuvolari, named after driver Tazio Nuvolari, who raced for Auto Union in the 1930s.

The new mid-engined model will act as Audi’s new halo model and while it may look like it, it’s actually not a concept car but a limited-run production model for which European deliveries will commence in the first half of 2027.

Limited to just 499 units globally and costing around £500,000 in the UK (around A$940,000), the Nuvolari won’t be a direct replacement for the beloved Audi R8. Instead, the Nuvolari takes the brand to a higher level of engineering, targeting Ferrari, McLaren and sister brand Lamborghini.

The Nuvolari is the first production car to feature Audi’s new design language, which debuted on the Concept C in September 2025. However, it takes more inspiration from its Formula One motorsport program, with extra openings and vents to help keep the engine cool, and more movable aero parts to help deliver up to 400kg of downforce. The moving rear wing features DRS, there are staggered 20- and 21-inch alloy wheels, and carbon ceramic brakes also feature.

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The Nuvolari’s cabin is driver focused, using a modern clean layout with most key functions operated through a portrait-style touchscreen. Material quality looks to be extremely high, with milled and brushed aluminium used for almost all the interior’s hard components. 

Centre of Audi’s new aluminium and carbon fibre-bodied mid-engined supercar is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, which is paired with three electric motors to help boost the overall maximum power output to 736kW. The engine itself makes 588kW/730Nm outputs and revs to 10,000rpm, while the three electric motors produce 110kW each. The lithium-ion battery has a gross capacity of 7.3 kWh for short all-electric driving capability and to also feed the electric motors.

Thanks to the firepower and lightweight construction, the Nuvolari is quite fast: it completes the 0-100km/h sprint in just 2.6 seconds, 0-200km/h in just 6.8 seconds and the top speed is limited to 350km/h. That makes it comfortably the fastest production Audi ever made, and faster even than the quickest R8, which took 3.1 seconds to reach 100km/h and a top speed of 331km/h.  

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A new feature in the Nuvolari is called ‘Quattro Predictive Ride’. It’s a powertrain-management system that will read road data from various sensors across the car to actively predict how and where to apply power, reportedly making the Nuvolari even faster. Expect that system to make its way down the Audi line-up in the future.

As with most modern cars, the Nuvolari’s driving characteristics are variable depending on which of the five drive modes is chosen. ‘E-Hybrid’ will run the car in all-electric mode as much as possible. Normal driving will be served by ‘Balanced’, with ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Dynamic +’ all turning the power up slowly in turn. At the top is a ‘Track’ mode, which will deploy full power wherever possible, and allows the driver to finely control the traction control. 

The Audi Nuvolari will go on sale in European markets in 2027. Australian plans are yet to be revealed, or if it will even be made in right-hand drive.