September 24, 2013

Audi Nanuk is a “Go Anywhere” Supercar

If I were to describe to you a machine that had supercar performance, a mid-mounted engine and the ability to hit the rough stuff you might think I was describing a Group B rally car. You would be wrong. The more car news conscious of you might think I was talking about the bonkers ItalDesign Giugiaro Parcour built as a thing of fantasy by its designer. On that guess you would be getting much warmer, but still no cigar. No, this car that I speak of wears an Audi badge and is diesel!

Looking at the Audi Nanuk concept you can clearly see that Parcour influence and this is because Audi partnered up with its makers to produce this beast. Powered by a 5.0 litre V10 TDI, that is right it is diesel, the Nanuk can sprint from 0-62MPH in just 3.8 seconds on almost any terrain. Packing 544BHP and 737lb ft of torque it has a top speed of 189MPH. Now, that engine is the really interesting thing about this car as Audi have ben making plans for a diesel R8 for years. Have we just had a sneak preview?

Italdesign Giugiaro Parcour Concept Crashes-Out at Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK has become a motoring mecca over the past 20 years. The hill climb event plays host to some of the finest machines to ever touch tarmac and this year accumulated an even more star studded attendance with the likes of the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spider and Alfa Romeo 4C all making their first dynamic debuts. The Italdesign Giugiaro Parcour was another, but fate had other ideas for this one-off supercar.

The Parcour Concept could be argued to be the ultimate go anywhere supercar as within its rugged “Baja” inspired exterior sits the 550HP V10 beating heart of a Lamborghini Gallardo. Whilst romping its way up the hill, the only existing Parcour developed some oversteer, spun, and ended up sliding off of the track and into a barrier. Luckily nobody was hurt but the car itself looks to be in bad shape.

We shed a tear when an exotic ends up like a crumpled beer can, but even more so when it is this rare.