This crazy looking, crazy sounding concept from Audi is not a tribute to Mork and Mindy. And it’s not a polar bear, either. It’s actually the new R8 in an SUV disguise.
An R8 SUV?! Yes, well, perhaps it may as well have been a polar bear from Ork after all. In concept form Audi has fitted the nanuk with a 5.0 litre V10. See, it is an R8. But the engine’s a diesel. Oh, maybe it’s not an R8, then.
The engine produces 400kW/1000Nm and propels the nanuk to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, on to a top speed of 305km/h. Damn, it really is the next-gen R8, isn’t it!
Riding on adaptive air suspension the driver can adjust the ride height by a factor of 70mm. Hmm, I don’t think the next R8 will be able to do that. This is confusing. Oh, it weighs 1900kg. Holy crap, that’s almost two tonnes!!! There’s no way the next R8 will be that much of a porker.
Speaking of porkers, the nanuk features “integral steering”. It’s a rear-wheel steering set up that’s pretty much been nicked from the next garage over at Porsche. Hey, you’d stuff Porsche gadgets into an R8 for sure. Don’t you think?
Clearly, we don’t know what the hell we’re talking about. But we do know this much, this really is your first proper look at the design direction the new R8 will take. Honest!