2001 – Volkswagen W12 Nardò

The orange Volkswagen W12 Nardò preserved in the Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro Collection represents the most advanced evolution of a project begun in 1997 around Volkswagen’s newly developed W12 engine.

Commissioned by Ferdinand Piëch, the original brief asked Italdesign Giugiaro to create a mid-engined supercar capable of demonstrating the potential of the compact twelve-cylinder power unit. The mechanical architecture became one of the defining elements of the project, around which the proportions and overall form of the car were developed.

The first W12 Syncro was presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, followed by the Roadster in 1998. In 2001 the project evolved into the W12 Nardò, with a more powerful six-litre engine and further development aimed at performance, aerodynamic efficiency and high-speed stability.

Its extremely low profile, wide stance and strongly glazed cabin gave the W12 a distinctive supercar architecture, translating an experimental mechanical programme into a complete and recognizable design.

The project was also used by Volkswagen to demonstrate the endurance and reliability of its W12 technology. At the Nardò high-speed circuit, the W12 programme established a series of international speed and endurance records, turning what had begun as a design and engineering experiment into one of the most technically significant Volkswagen prototypes of the period.