At the Geneva Motor Show 2003 Audi showed the new Nuvolari quattro concept study, a vision of tomorrow’s elegant, powerful Gran Turismo.
The study combines future Audi design philosophy and the progressive technology and dynamic road potential of a high-powered GT.
After the debut of the Pikes Peak quattro crossover study at the Detroit Motor Show, the Nuvolari is the second car in 2003 with which Audi shows off the future of the brand: a future notable for systematic emphasis on sporting character, highly advanced technology, unique design and emphasis on exclusiveness.


Gran Turismo - the term is synonymous with the ultimate high-performance, road-going long-distance sports car. Time and time again, GTs were among the most fascinating and most beautiful cars of their day. Like no other type of vehicle, a classic GT combines the aura of performance and speed with styling that derives its aesthetic appeal from technology and dynamism rendered visible to the onlooker.

Without a doubt, the Audi Nuvolari quattro, which has a Luna Silver paint finish, is such a car - this becomes clear the very first time you see it. The coupé silhouette of this 2 + 2-seater is dominated by the long engine hood and the roofline dropping smoothly towards the wide rear end. The windows are extremely shallow, emphasising the proportions of the 4.80-metre long, 1.92-metre wide and 1.41-metre high Nuvolari quattro.

The gently curved coupé roof is supported by slim A and C pillars that blend smoothly into the rising shoulders of the body.



The front and rear overhangs are very short, which, together with the large 9-arm wheels in the circular wheel arches, emphasises the potent, compact body. This effect is added to by the high tail end with its remarkable stylistic uniformity; the two big, oval exhaust tailpipes provide a visual clue to the power this car’s engine can provide

The lights, which are well wrapped round at the sides of the car, connect the side panels and the rear end and supply a new, distinct visual emphasis.

The synthesis of evolution and innovation is also characteristic of the Audi Nuvolari quattro’s front end: the rounded shape of the front side panels toward the bumper is a deliberate reference to the lines of the Audi TT - which is, after all, one of the most successful examples of Audi’s current styling.

The striking single-frame radiator grille has also evolved from the current design motif and has been arrived at by linking together the two double grille segments of the current Audi generation.



As is typical for a coupé, the doors have frameless windows. All four side windows can be lowered completely. A new opening technology is used: as soon as the keyless-entry transmitter in the key has unlocked the door by means of a signal, a recess opens inwards below the handles, which are normally flush with the body. The handle space is illuminated by an LED.




Another new feature are the slightly inclined, low-height main headlight strips on the Nuvolari quattro. They make use of an entirely new technology - super-bright high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This is where, once again, Audi’s typical groundbreaking design principles and its proverbial "Vorsprung durch Technik" combine.

LED headlights allow the designer more freedom, since they need less installation space than conventional ones. The cooled high-end lights, 18 on each side, are located much nearer the surface of the cover, which has also been reduced in size, so that the entire front end or the car is more harmonious in its styling.




As if this were not enough, LED technology offers further future potential. In a future development stage, LED headlights will make dynamic cornering beams possible without the need for movable parts in the system. The width and direction of the beam can be specifically adjusted by activating more light elements electronically.

LEDs are also used for the rear lights, brake lights and flashing turn indicators. The infrared sensors for the rear lights are revolutionary. They identify dirt on the covers and external factors such as spray or fog. The electronic control system increases the brightness steplessly in response to sensor impulses if required by outside conditions. This is an important step towards better visibility and, ultimately, a safer journey in all weather conditions.

The braking lights and flashers benefit additionally from the LED’s shorter response time. Whereas it takes conventional bulbs around 200 milliseconds to reach their full brightness, LEDs need less than one millisecond.




Leather and aluminium: the atmosphere in the Nuvolari quattro’s interior consists of a dialogue between organic and highly technical materials. The contrasting Stromboli black and Carrara white leather elements and the cool metal surfaces add structure to the layout of the dash panel, doors, and centre console.

The four individual, heavily contoured seats with integral belts are of typical sports car design and provide ample space for the driver and passengers. The high, substantial centre console, which continued through to the rear of the interior, has also been designed according to the classic GT philosophy: the driver and front passenger will feel themselves to be almost part of the vehicle. The three-point seat belts are attached on the insides of the seats.

The dash panel, which is covered by a semi-circular hood, combines classic GT architecture and advanced ergonomics. Two large round instrument dials - a speedometer and a rev counter - dominate the central viewing area. The centre console with the MMI display is clearly angled toward the driver.

The tiptronic gearshift lever has one shift gate. If the driver prefers to select gears manually, he or she can do so at shift paddles behind the three-spoke sports steering wheel - as in the Le Mans-winning Audi R8. The shift lever is then only used to select the P, R, and D modes.

Like the pushbutton-operated electro-mechanical parking brake, the gear shift mechanism has no mechanical connections whatsoever. In addition to the particularly tidy centre console which this provides, it opens up new potential uses for the console itself. The one in the Nuvolari can be opened to reveal an additional, easily accessible storage compartment for the driver. There is also storage space for the rear passengers’ use in the rear section of the console.

Even the glove compartment is equipped with high-tech features. It is opened by fingerprint recognition ("one touch memory") rather than with a key. A sensor field the size of a stamp consisting of 65,000 electrodes scans the fingerprint and opens the lock after verification against memorised data. The advantage: whenever the owner has to let others drive the car - for example valet parking - valuables can safely be left in the glove compartment.


One of the main characteristics of a Gran Turismo is that it is ideal for long-distance travel, which is why the Nuvolari quattro’s luggage compartment has a volume of 350 litres - enough even for larger suitcases and travel bags. The materials and workmanship - deep-pile carpet and brushed aluminium - are of the same high quality as in the passenger area.


High power output, maximum torque, refinement and a fascinating sound - these are the basic characteristics of a perfect GT engine, with a fascination that lies both in its potent performance and its everyday usability. The 5.0-litre ‘biturbo’ V10 has these features plus the ‘bite’ that comes from ample torque in all engine speed ranges and a willingness to run up to high speeds that is second to none.

This engine is a new design, capable of mobilising an impressive 600 bhp and 750 Nm of power.

Among the most impressive features of the Audi Nuvolari quattro’s ten-cylinder ‘biturbo’ FSI engine’s are its willingness to rev freely and the vigorous power flow available at all engine speeds. It accelerates the Gran Turismo from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and on to a maximum speed that has been governed to 250 km/h. The maximum torque of 750 Nm is available at an engine speed as low as 2,000 rpm and remains constant over a broad engine-speed range. All this results in powerful, not to say supreme, forward thrust, the ideal precondition for driving long distances in a sporting style and also when storming up winding mountain passes.




Driving pleasure was of course one of the main requirements that the Nuvolari’s chassis designers were asked to satisfy, because apart from having a powerful engine, GTs are expected to be extremely easy to handle and responsive.

To meet these requirements, the Nuvolari quattro has an aluminium chassis with four-link front and controlled-toe trapezoidal link rear suspension, and both of these concepts lead to enthusiastic cornering ability and high steering precision.

A racing-car brake system with large cross-drilled discs is appropriate to a car of this kind, and can be glimpsed through the 9-arm alloy wheels.

The adaptive air suspension - 4-corner air springs with continuous damping control - is the first system of its kind in a GT that resolves the traditionally conflicting goals of excellent handling and comfortable shock absorption on long journeys.

The lowered ride height at high speeds improves the Nuvolari quattro’s aerodynamics. Three pre-defined ground clearance levels are available: normal, with a ground clearance of 100 mm; the "autobahn" level (from 160 km/h upwards) with a ground clearance of 90 mm and the raised level with a ground clearance of 110 mm, which is ideal for driving on bumpy roads up to a maximum speed of 40 km/h.

Electronic control of the adaptive air suspension allows drivers to adjust the chassis characteristics and thus the driving dynamics to suit their own preferences in three modes - Automatic, Dynamic and Lift. Depending on the selected mode and the actual speed, the system automatically adjusts the damping characteristics and the car’s ride height.


As an extension to the standard cruise control, radar-aided adaptive cruise control makes driving much more convenient, by automatically adjusting the speed in relation to a pre-selected distance from the vehicle in front.

This makes driving easier, particularly on long country-road journeys or in nose-to-tail traffic on the "autobahn" or similar highways.

The system’s sensor is nearly invisible behind the radiator grille. It emits a radar beam while the car is in motion, to measure its distance from the vehicle in front. A computer compares this difference with the previous measurement to calculate the increase or decrease in distance and if necessary varies the car’s speed by operating the accelerator or brake.




With its Gran Turismo concept study unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, Audi pays tribute to one of the greatest racing drivers of his day, and at the same time establishes a link between the advanced technology of the Audi Nuvolari quattro and the history of the marque with the four-ring emblem, which was always dedicated to sporting character and style both on the road and on the racing circuit.

61 Grand Prix victories and other international successes confirmed Tazio Nuvolari as one of the greatest racing drivers in the period before the Second World War. He raced actively for almost thirty years, and it is to his artistry at the wheel that Auto Union owed many of its Grand Prix triumphs.

Nuvolari, who was born in Mantua, Italy, in 1892, died in 1953, and therefore the 50th anniversary of his death will be commemorated on August 11, 2003. His contribution to motor racing history may well be greater than that of any other driver in the first half of the twentieth century. Nuvolari’s daring approach and his spectacular driving style were as much part of his image as the yellow pullover that he always wore during races.

In 1938 Tazio Nuvolari joined Auto Union and drove its 12-cylinder Type D racing cars in Grand Prix events and hillclimbs. Acquiring his services enabled the Auto Union racing department to avoid the difficult situation into which it was plunged as a result of Bernd Rosemeyer’s tragic death at the end of January 1938, during a speed record attempt. Tazio Nuvolari, incidentally, was one of the few drivers who proved capable of mastering the mid-engined Auto Union racing car immediately.

His first victory was gained in 1938 in the country of his birth. On September 11, 1938 he crossed the line ahead of the field in the Italian Grand Prix, held in Monza. Only a few weeks later, he repeated this success on the Donington circuit in England. This series of successes ended on September 3, 1939 in Belgrade, when Nuvolari won the last Grand Prix to be held before war broke out.

For the past twelve years, an event has been held every September that pay tribute to this great driver: the Gran Premio Nuvolari. This is a consistency run for historic cars over a route some 850 kilometres long, starting and finishing in Mantua, Nuvolari’s birthplace.