BETTER PARTSMistaken ideas: The VW W12 Nardo
Hair, 13. November 2017
In the auto industry, there are a few missed opportunities in terms of potential models. Designers and engineers are allowed to let off steam on concept vehicles. The studies are pure reverie, times they are a view on a specific vehicle. And then there are those ideas in which not a lot of series production would have been lacking. For example, the VW W12 alias Nardo.
Ferdinand Sports-Car-Hammer
The W12/Nardo is a typical child of the Era of Ferdinand Piëch of Volkswagen-in-chief (1993 to 2002). Piëch is not explored, only the technically Feasible, he also wants to position the VW higher. This is visible by the joints by narrow-Body and sizable cockpit for the reissues of the Golf and Passat. At the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997 and then the Hammer in the shape of the VW W12 coupe: 4.40 meters long, 1.92 m wide and 1.10 meters flat flounder with all-wheel drive and the eponymous W12 unit in mid-engine arrangement. Pure coincidence that under the Leadership of Piëch as head of Audi in 1991, a similar study called "Avus quattro" with a six-liter W12?
World record with a hell of a pace
Speaking of W12: The engine mixes the constructive characteristics of a V-engine with those of a series motor. From 5.6-liters of displacement, 420 HP will be taken, the Design of the W12-study of VW in controls Italdesign. In the spring of 1998, a Roadster study of the W12, which is to the rear-wheel drive technically, the coupe is identical following the Geneva auto salon. However, in the same year Lamborghini will be taken over by Audi, the two W12 studies disappear at the time of the sinking. To 2001: Again, in Tokyo, the VW is a further development, the W12 Nardo, named after the 12.6 km long circular path shows in Italy. That's exactly where the now-on 600 HP strengthened W12 Nardo is on record hunting. The 1.2-Tonne vehicle should only need 3.5 seconds to 100 kph and up to 357 km/h fast. In Nardo self-VW provides a valid 24-hours-a world record. Average speed: 323 km/h total distance: 7.741 km.
From Nardo to the Bugatti
However, with this success, the short career of the VW-super-sports-car ends. Its W12 engine lives on but from 2001, the Audi A8 and the VW Phaeton, the latter is a similarly ambitious Piéch product. Six-Liter displacement and 450 HP the power unit in the Phaeton, the Bentley Continental GT, there are even 560 HP. It is questionable who would have a really cheap VW-bought a super athlete. Add to that Lamborghini launched starting in 2001, the Murcielago with an in-house V12. Ultimately, it was probably Piëch is clear that the VW Emblem fits a rival for Ferrari and co. Instead, he saddles it all: From the W12 was after W18-concepts in a variety of Bugatti-studies in the late 1990s, a W16, fired under the legendary name from 2005, the Veyron 16.4.
The spiritual heritage of Audi
And there were other reasons against the VW Nardo: Motorsport with vehicles of this class is the domain of Audi and Lamborghini. Audi brought out in 2006, the R8 is similar to the length of the Nardo, and also with mid-engine. However, a twelve-cylinder, it was only in the study R8 V12 TDI Concept. But that's another story ...(rh)