• The Nuvolari shares its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with the Lamborghini Temerario.
  • Barely a year after being sketched, Audi’s F1 drivers were testing the Nuvolari.
  • Global production of the Nuvolari will be capped at just 499 units.

A couple of months ago, Audi unexpectedly lifted the covers on its successor to the fabled R8, dubbed the Nuvolari. Set to be limited to just 499 examples worldwide, it’s among the brand’s first new models to benefit from its ‘China speed’ development process, morphing from the initial idea to a functional prototype in just 405 days.

Audi has released a new 20-minute documentary detailing the creation of the Nuvolari and how it developed from the initial sketches to detailed 3D renderings and finally into a full-size, running prototype that has been tested by Audi Formula 1 drivers Niko Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor

Read: Audi Nuvolari Hits The Ring After Celebrating Surprise Debut

Last year, Audi revealed that it was eager to keep pace with the astonishingly quick development times of Chinese automakers, already confirming the all-electric TT successor will hit the market just 30 months after being signed off. That model is expected to have a very similar design to the Nuvolari and will use the same platform as the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman, positioning the battery behind the seats to mimic the weight distribution of a mid-engined sports car.

Lamborghini Tech

Like the future TT, the Nuvolari also borrows components from elsewhere in the VW Group, no doubt helping to speed up its development. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and three electric motors have been borrowed from the Lamborghini Temerario, although whereas the Lamborghini only has a 3.8 kWh battery, the Audi has a larger 7.3 kWh one. It’s also more powerful, delivering a combined 987 hp compared to the Temerario’s 907 hp.

“The Nuvolari project is a striking example of how quickly we at Audi can bring an idea to life — that is ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’,” Audi chief executive Gernot Döllner said. “The new model is much more than a supercar. As a technological North Star, the Nuvolari guides the way for future Audi developments and provides important impetus for the brand’s technology portfolio.”

Audi says deliveries of the Nuvolari will start in the first half of next year. Prices haven’t been confirmed, but it’s expected to start at around €600,000 ($691,000).

Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor
Audi Needed Just 405 Days To Turn A Doodle Into Its R8 Successor