Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Unexpectedly, Audi has just revealed its first supercar, the Nuvolari. Apparently, the R8 was more of a sports car. Whatever type of car you want to call it, the Nuvolari represents a massive change in how mainstream automakers do business. Just as BMW has created ultra-limited special editions like the Speedtop and Skytop, with more of the same likely under the Alpina brand, and just as Mercedes has created Mythos products for its most esteemed customers, so Audi is now creating a limited-production supercar. Instead of trying to make a little bit of profit from a lot of cars, Audi is trying to make a significant profit on just 499 supercars. The Nuvolari is also noteworthy because of its interior and exterior design, so let's take a closer look.1.AudiDespite being completely unrelated to the R8 and not being an official successor to the R8, the Nuvolari shows a familial link. At the front, long, narrow headlights sit above gaping intakes. On the side, the area behind the doors has a vertical black accent that calls to mind the R8's famous sideblades, and at the back, the horizontal taillights sit above gaping grilles and vents. However, this is still a vastly different car. We're getting Ferrari 849 Testarossa vibes from the vertical side accents, and like the Bugatti Tourbillon, the nose tapers to reduce frontal area - good for top speed.2.AudiThe rear three-quarter angle looks particularly dramatic, and although Audi hasn't mentioned Lamborghini, the tall, center-mounted exhaust exit is a dead giveaway, as is the powertrain: a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 revving to 10,000 rpm and supported by a trio of axial flux motors, resulting in a total of 987 horsepower. The car is less curvaceous than the R8, with clear inspiration from the Concept C design study that will ultimately inform a new sports car to sit between the spaces vacated by the TT and R8.3.AudiFrom above, the Nuvolari's clean aesthetic is far less fussy than that of the Temerario, and it looks like a modern take on the Audi RSQ concept from 2004. Without any rear glass, the cabin needs a digital rearview camera, but it's arguably worth it for the futuristic look.4.AudiAdvertisementAdvertisementThe front end has a gaping hood to improve downforce, spitting out air that enters the front grilles. The middle grille is a clear departure from the Singleframe grille Audi used for so long, and while it's a little odd seeing a vertical center intake in isolation, the look works well with the side intakes, helped by the lines on the bodywork that draw the eye backward. Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella has created something unique while still capturing the Audi spirit of Vorsprung durch Technik, or progress through technology.5.AudiThe rear spoiler includes an Audi logo, and this is neither paint nor a decal, with Audi setting real metal into the milled carbon fiber. From this angle, the Nuvolari reminds us slightly of the Lamborghini Murciélago, with the tapering intakes behind the B-pillars sweeping backward and increasing the sense of size.6.AudiView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAudi has not revealed the dimensions of the Nuvolari, but the mechanically similar Lamborghini Temerario measures 185.3 inches in length, 78.6 inches in width, and 47.3 inches in height, with a wheelbase of 104.6 inches. The Temerario weighs 3,726 pounds dry; plug-in hybrids are heavy. Expect similar figures for the Nuvolari.7.AudiAudi hasn't shown us much of the cabin, but again, the Concept C was clearly the source material. Audi has avoided the trend of a passenger screen, with a portrait display in the center of the dash handling infotainment duties. This has some physical switches and looks like it can move, though Audi hasn't said so. The steering wheel is particularly interesting. Not only does this have physical controls and what appears to be a well-proportioned rim, but the shift paddles have moved to the steering column for the first time. Some prefer having the paddles on the wheel, but column-mounted shifters feel more exotic. More importantly, they stay in the same place when you're mid-corner. Another screen sits behind the wheel, but overall, the cabin seems to focus on tactility.8.AudiAdvertisementAdvertisementEven the air vents for the climate control are a thing of beauty that were clearly designed specifically for this car. Unlike the R8, which shared several elements with other "lesser" Audis, the Nuvolari helps justify its exclusivity by being a bespoke creation, at least for now. Expect the Nuvolari's exterior design language and interior ethos (meaning fewer screens) to carry over to more Audi products before long.9.AudiView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleThe Nuvolari, says Audi, will get from 0-62 mph in 2.6 seconds and from 0-124 mph in 6.8 seconds. It will also reach a top speed north of 217 mph. By comparison, the Temerario will get to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds and 124 mph in around 7.1 seconds, running out of puff at 213 mph. Why the difference? Well, the Nuvolari's 987-hp peak output figure is some 80 ponies higher than the Temerario's 907-hp rating, and while the R8 was never more powerful than the Huracán on which it was based, letting the more exotic brand lead the way, the Nuvolari is not a series-production vehicle, and as a limited edition focusing on exclusivity, Lamborghini can let Audi have the headlines and maintain its pride while it prepares its own special editions based on the Temerario.10.AudiView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementJust 499 examples of the Nuvolari will be produced, each starting at a reported $686,613 at current exchange rates. Carbon-ceramic brakes, F1 technology, a new Audi Space Frame with a carbon exterior (a first for Audi), and a nomenclature honoring Tazio Nuvolari, the man Enzo Ferrari once called the "inventor" of the all-wheel drift and one of Auto Union's most successful drivers, the new Audi supercar has all the right ingredients to justify its place in the world. A rebodied Temerario? Please. Don't be so uncouth. Sure, there is shared technology, but this sits on a higher plane than the Temerario. With captivating lore, a link to F1, and a design that doesn't follow trends, the Nuvolari will certainly help increase the prestige of the Audi brand to a greater effect than the R8 ever did. Now, about a convertible...AudiView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.