Audi gave a small group of journalists time behind the wheel of the Nuvolari at Spain’s Jarama circuit, and the first driving impressions are out. The session also brought out details that matter to the people ordering one. In his report for Hagerty and also VISION mobility, veteran journalist Georg Kacher uncovered an F1-inspired package within the 499-car run, a broad menu of bespoke finishes and a production process that takes the car from Germany to Italy and back.
61 CARS IN AUDI F1 COLORS
Kacher reports that 61 of the 499 Nuvolaris will carry the R26 package, taking their cues from Audi’s Formula 1 livery. The allocation is a nod to the car’s namesake, Tazio Nuvolari, and his 61 Grand Prix wins. Those 61 cars are part of the announced production run.
Buyers can also take the car in a different direction. Kacher describes a paint program that extends from solid, metallic and matte finishes to two-tone schemes and gradients that blend one color into another. The choices go beyond paint and upholstery. Buyers can select from a range of cabin trim materials and specify individually tinted, fine-weave carbon-fiber exterior panels.
FROM NECKARSULM TO ITALY AND BACK
The Nuvolari’s metal body structure is welded in Neckarsulm, and an Italian specialist supplies the carbon-fiber panels. Kacher traces the car’s route from Modena to Sant’Agata Bolognese for paint and mechanical completion, then back to Germany for final assembly in Ingolstadt. At a reported pace of three cars a day, Kacher expects the run to be complete by the end of 2027. Audi has previously said deliveries will start in the first half of that year.
FIRST DRIVES FROM JARAMA
The early reviews offer different reads on the same car. Car and Driver found the steering more progressive than the related Lamborghini Temerario’s, while MotorTrend singled out the Audi’s stability under hard braking and its predictable behavior on corner exit. evo was more reserved about whether the driving experience lived up to the price. caranddriver.com
