Nuvolari to go into production

Started by Pristle, May 21, 2005, 02:40:24 PM

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Pristle

From the South African Car Magazine crew: Production Nuvolari an A4?

   
In a coup for all Audi fans, the marque's stylish 2+2 Nuvolari concept will go into production as a coupe version of its compact A4 range when the range expands in about two years.

At the time of the car's unveiling at the Geneva motor show in March 2003, the firm's chairman, Martin Winterkorn said: "My priorities for the Audi brand are to enhance its sporty image with a crossover car and a sports car that is above our current TT but below the small Lamborghini (Gallardo)."

However, in its production form, the Nuvolari, which looks like a grown up version of the TT coupe, will form part of the expanded A4 lineup. The car is seen as Audi's direct rival to BMW's 3 Series coupe and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class sports coupe - model that has been absent from the range's lineup.

In 2003, Winterkorn also announced that the car outlined the "direction that Audi's exterior and interior will take." This has been realised, most notably with the current range of vehicles sporting the Nuvolari-inspired single-frame grille.

The concept was powered by a 5,0-litre V10 biturbo engine with FSI direct fuel injection. Power output was rated at 441 kW with a massive 750 N.m of torque fed to all four wheels via the six-speed automatic transmission. the concept's aluminium spaceframe design (based on a scaled-down A8 platform) will be replaced with a more conventional layout.

Though that prospect may excite many, Audi sees the car as a classic grand tourer with practical touches. Apart from looking very similar to the concept, the production A4 coup? will be more conventional, using a current A4 platform rather than the scaled-down A8 aluminium spaceframe design used on the Nuvolari.

Other than the Nuvolari, the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer really benefited from the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, since the three concepts displayed have all been turned into production models. The Pikes Peak off-roader concept will be released in 2006 as the Q7 SUV. Audi has also confirmed that the supercar Le Mans will built.

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