Audi Debuts the Insane Nanuk Off-Road Supercar Concept

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A supercar for all seasons and conditions named after a polar bear is just what we've been waiting for.

After already announcing the 700 horsepower Sport Quattro Concept, Audi has announced they’ll be bringing a second, even crazier, concept to the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Nanuk Quattro Concept is a new interpretation of the Quattro philosophy. It’s a mid engine supercar in which you wouldn’t have to think twice about tearing down a dirt road. 

Designed by Audi in collaboration with Italdesign Giugiaro, the Nanuk wears the new Audi company face. The dominant feature of which is the hexagonal grille similar to that seen on the Sport Quattro Concept. Don’t be surprised if a few design queues seen here make their way to the next R8. The new four circle headlights which echo the corporate logo are also a nice touch. 

The Nanuk is powered by a twin-turbo TDI diesel V10 producing 544 horsepower and 737 pound feet of torque. Despite being built on an aluminum space frame and using a few carbon fiber-reinforced polymer components, the Nanuk weighs over two tons. Even so, 0-60 comes in 3.8 seconds.

The Nanuk was designed to be at home on just about any surface. The seven-speed S tronic gear box has been “beefed-up” to handle the additional rigors of off-road driving and ride height can be adjusted by almost three inches depending which of the three driving modes is selected. The Nanuk will also adjust ride height and other suspension settings automatically using route data supplied by the navigation system. In short, it can tell what kind of road you’re on based on where you are in the world.

The drivetrain also incorporates a four wheel steering system. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the fronts, which shortens the wheelbase virtually by 100 millimeters. At high speeds the rears turn in the same direction as the fronts, improving stability.

We should get a more detailed look at the Nanuk tomorrow, when the Frankfurt Motor Show gets underway.

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