Volkswagen W12

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This article or section contains information about a concept automobile.
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The Volkswagen W12 Coupe (also known as the Volkswagen Nardo, with reference to the city of Nardò) was a concept car created by Volkswagen in 1997.

Contents

[edit] Conception

Picture. At the request of then VW CEO Ferdinand Piech, Giorgetto Giugiaro and his Italdesign team was to design a Volkswagen supercar, with instructions that it had to accommodate a 12 cylinder engine in a W configuration, be mid-engined, and also be able to be configured with VW's Syncro AWD system.

Another reason for its conception was to prove to the world that Volkswagen could build a large and reliable engine for its luxury car, the Phaeton, and its SUV, the Touareg.

[edit] The Concepts

[edit] 1997 W12 syncro

In 1997, at the Tokyo Motor Show Volkswagen debuted their first supercar concept, a bright yellow W12 syncro Coupe with a 5.6L W12 engine producing 309 kW (420 bhp) with Syncro AWD. It and the W12 Concepts after it were all designed by the Italdesign firm in Italy.

  • Length 4400mm
  • Width 1920mm
  • Height 1100mm
  • Wheelbase 2530mm
  • Front Track 1620mm
  • Rear Track 1600mm
  • Front Overhang 1000mm
  • Rear Overhang 870mm
  • Engine Position Mid Longitudinal
  • Drive All Wheel Drive
  • Engine 5600cc/cm3 W12
  • Power 420hp / 309KW

[edit] 1998 W12 Roadster

A year later at the Geneva Auto Salon a red W12 Roadster with the same 5.6 W12 engine and rear-wheel drive configuration was shown.

  • Length 4400mm
  • Width 1920mm
  • Height 1000mm
  • Wheelbase 2530mm
  • Front Track 1634mm
  • Rear Track 1652mm
  • Front Overhang 990mm
  • Rear Overhang 880mm
  • Engine Position Mid Longitudinal
  • Drive Rear Wheel Drive
  • Engine 5600cc/cm3 W12
  • Power 420hp / 309KW

[edit] 2001 concept

In 2001, at the Tokyo Motor Show, VW released their most powerful W12 supercar concept yet, in Bright Orange. The engine was rated at producing 441kW (512hp) and 621 Nm (458 ft·lbf) of torque; it could go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in about 3.5 seconds and had a top speed of 350 km/h (214 mph), weighing just 1200 kg. It was one of the fastest supercar concepts in the world.

[edit] 24 Hour World Record Holder

A special unpainted carbon fiber version of the W12 Coupe set 7 world 24-hour speed records at the Nardò Circuit[1] near Lecce, Italy. The car's nickname was derived from the circuit.

[edit] In Popular Culture

The Nardo has also been popular in other media. The scale model car maker Maisto produces a scale model of the Nardo as part of their collection, and Matchbox produces a Nardo as part of their special collection series.

[edit] Video Games

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Notice that original Italian names has stress on the last syllable.

[edit] External links and references

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