Audi Nuvolari Quattro
Tazio Nuvolari was one of the greatest racing drivers in the period before the Second World War. In his nearly 30 years of racing – most of it at the wheel of Auto Union cars – he had 61 Grand Prix victories and other international successes. He died in 1953 but many enthusiasts feel that his contribution to motor racing history may well be greater than that of any other driver in the first half of the 20th century.
So for its show car at this year’s Geneva Auto Salon, Audi paid tribute to the racing legend by naming its latest concept car after him. It has a design that is said to be the vision of an elegant, powerful GT for tomorrow, a synthesis of progressive technology with the road dynamics of a high-powered car and typical Audi design architecture.
Walter de’Silva, Head of Design for the Audi brand group, says that the Nuvolari quattro outlines the direction that Audi’s exterior and interior design will take in evolutionary steps.
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With their Nuvolari quattro, Audi’s designers have created a two-door coupé with 2+2 seating and classic GT proportions: its body is 4.80 metres long, 1.92 metres wide and 1.41 metres high with a wheelbase of 2.89 metres. With its low outline, long front section, potent-looking rear end and extremely short overhangs, the Nuvolari shows its potential even when not in motion.
The Nuvolari quattro, which has a Luna Silver paint finish, uses the Audi Space Frame principle for its aluminium body, which results in an excellent power-to- weight ratio and high rigidity. It thus forms the basis for this GT’s exceptional road dynamics.
This car has the most powerful engine so far developed by Audi for use in a roadgoing vehicle: a 5.0-litre V10 ‘biturbo’ with FSI direct fuel injection, a power output of 441 kW (600 bhp) and a maximum torque of 750 Nm. The Nuvolari quattro concept car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and has a governed maximum speed of 250 km/h.
Power and torque are delivered to the wheels according to traction needs via a six-speed automatic transmission using shift-by-wire technology. The driver can also select the gears manually at paddles on the steering wheel.
As a matter of course, an Audi as powerful as this features quattro permanent four-wheel drive and a motor-sport brake system with appropriately large, drilled brake discs which catch the eye behind the 9-arm wheels.
The aluminium suspension on the Nuvolari quattro also satisfies all the requirements of a high-powered GT car. The four-link front axle, the trapezoidal-link rear axle and the adaptive air suspension are the key to excellent handling and typical sports-car liveliness. The air suspension improves the Nuvolari quattro’s ride comfort and confirms its role as genuine long-distance transport.
Innovative technology can be found everywhere in this vehicle. A few examples: the electro-mechanical parking brake and the shift lever for the 6-speed tiptronic automatic transmission operate “by wire”, without any mechanical links. The powerful headlights and the rear lights use an LED light source and the rear lights have adaptive infrared control which adjusts the brightness of the LED diodes to match visibility and weather conditions.
The Nuvolari features the groundbreaking MMI Multi Media Interface for infotainment and vehicle system communication. This system has received praise from throughout the trade press for its advanced ergonomics and intuitive operating concept.
After the debut of the Pikes Peak quattro crossover study at the Detroit Motor Show, the Nuvolari is the second car in 2003 that reveals the future path that the Audi brand will take: a future notable for systematic sporting character, highly advanced technology, unique design and an emphasis on exclusiveness.
