MotorTrend Tested the 987-HP Audi Nuvolari Hybrid Supercar at Jarama Circuit

The Audi Nuvolari is a 987-horsepower mid-engine supercar wrapped in designer-chic bodywork that serves as a design and technology lighthouse for the German automaker. Audi plans to build only 499 examples at an estimated base price of around $700,000. Chief technical officer Rouven Mohr emphasizes that the car signposts not only a fresh styling direction spearheaded by head of design Massimo Frascella, but also a new intelligent Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The Nuvolari’s exterior surfaces are constructed from hand-laid sheets of thin-mesh carbon fiber, offering exceptional finish quality for buyers choosing visible bare-carbon bodywork. Beneath the skin lies an aluminum spaceframe chassis developed in close connection with the Lamborghini Temerario. Incorporating large die-cast structural elements, the chassis has fewer parts and is 24 percent stiffer than that of the discontinued R8. The setup employs advanced shock absorbers with four external valves alongside 10 percent softer springs, paired with carbon-ceramic brakes utilizing long-fiber rotors that dissipate heat 21 percent faster than conventional carbon ceramics.

Power comes from a plug-in hybrid powertrain shared with the Temerario, pairing a 4.0-liter twin-turbo flat-plane-crank V-8 with three axial-flux electric motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. While the internal combustion engine generates 789 hp and revs to 10,000 rpm, the three 148-hp electric motors contribute more under load, yielding a combined 987 hp—80 hp more than its Lamborghini sibling. Audi claims a 0-60 mph sprint under 2.4 seconds, zero to 124 mph in 6.8 seconds, and a top speed exceeding 217 mph.

Dynamic performance is managed by an in-house estimator algorithm fed by a central 6D inertial sensor measuring translational and rotational movements. On Spain's Jarama circuit, the Nuvolari displayed tremendous high-speed stability, reaching 186 mph on the straightaway before braking into corners with rock-solid front-axle authority and fluid power-oversteer transitions. The minimalist cabin features a modest portrait touchscreen, low physical switch count, and comfortable seating, completing a supercar that blends blistering track capability with daily usability.