Audi Nuvolari Revealed as Brand’s First Supercar With 1,001 PS Hybrid V8

Audi has revealed the Nuvolari, the first supercar in its history and the most powerful road car the brand has ever built. The mid-engined two-seater produces 1,001 PS from a hybrid powertrain, reaches a top speed of more than 217mph, and will be limited to just 499 cars when deliveries begin in the first half of 2027.

For buyers, the headline figures read like a direct answer to the latest hybrid hypercars from Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini. Audi quotes 0 to 62mph in 2.6 seconds and 0 to 124mph in 6.8 seconds, numbers that place the Nuvolari among the quickest accelerating cars the company has ever signed off for the road. The car was shown in pre-production form at Antibes on 4 June, the same season Audi prepares to line up on the Formula 1 grid.

A 1,001 PS Hybrid Built Around a V8

At the centre of the Nuvolari is a hybrid high-performance powertrain with a maximum system output of 736 kW, equal to 1,001 PS. It pairs a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo petrol engine producing 588 kW, or 800 hp, with three axial flux electric motors, each rated at 110 kW. A lithium-ion battery with a gross capacity of 7.3 kWh feeds the electric side of the system.

The combustion engine alone is a statement of intent. It delivers 730 Nm of torque and revs to 10,000 rpm, a ceiling Audi says was previously reserved for motorsport. One of the electric motors sits between the V8 and the transmission, while the others help drive the wheels and recover energy under braking. The result is a four-drive-unit layout that can shuffle power between the axles in a fraction of a second. “Formula 1 is a key impulse to bring innovations to the road quickly and with precision,” said Rouven Mohr, chief technical officer at Audi.

Formula 1 Thinking on a Road Car

The clearest link to the racetrack is the quattro predictive ride. Audi’s all-wheel-drive system reads the current driving state through sensors and adjusts power delivery before the wheels start to lose grip, rather than reacting after a slide has begun. Active aerodynamics, including a concealed S-duct that channels airflow through the body, manage downforce and drag depending on speed and driver input.

Braking has been rethought too. The electric motors can handle up to 0.3 g of deceleration on their own, covering a large share of everyday and hard stops while recovering energy and topping up the battery. A Launch Control function borrows directly from Formula 1, releasing stored energy for maximum acceleration off the line. “With the Audi Nuvolari, we are accelerating technological progress,” said Gernot Döllner, chairman of the board of management at Audi, who framed the car as proof of what the company can achieve when technology, performance and teamwork come together.

Carbon Body, Forged Wheels and a Driver-Focused Cabin

The Nuvolari is built on a new Audi Space Frame with a carbon exterior. The carbon panels are laid up by hand and cured under high pressure and temperature, a process Audi says allows complex shapes such as the door structures and the vertical frame elements that guide air through the S-duct. Heat-resistant materials are used in the areas where temperatures climb highest, and forged centre-lock wheels appear on an Audi production car for the first time.

Outside, the car wears a new Audi signature colour called Titanium, the same shade used on the Audi Concept C and the brand’s Formula 1 car. Inside, the cabin is built around the driver, with a dark theme up front and a lighter tone called Shadow Dune towards the rear. The frame of the central display is milled from anodised aluminium, and the lightweight seats use a carbon fibre structure in the base and backrest to cut weight while holding the driver firmly in place.

Just 499 Cars and What It Signals for Audi

Production will be capped at 499 units, with first deliveries due in the first half of 2027. Audi has not confirmed UK pricing, but a limited-run V8 hybrid halo car of this kind is likely to sit well into seven figures if it follows rivals such as the Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1, both of which use similar petrol-electric thinking and sell in tiny numbers.

The name honours Tazio Nuvolari, the Italian racing driver remembered for his fearlessness and skill behind the wheel in the 1930s. For Audi, the car is more than a one-off flagship. It is the first model to wear the brand’s new design language and lands as Audi prepares for its Formula 1 debut, making the Nuvolari a preview of how the company wants its fastest road cars to look and drive. Buyers drawn to electrified Audi performance can already see the direction of travel in the brand’s first plug-in hybrid RS car, while the wider supercar class is turning to electric power with cars such as the Ferrari Luce.