The Villa d’Este concours on the shores of the picturesque Lake Como is among the most prestigious classic car events in the world. Beyond vintage automobiles, the event also attracts automakers who showcase the latest concepts and ultra-rare exotics. One of the special cars that showed up this year was a Volkswagen.
Well, not just any VW, but the uber-rare Nardo W12 hypercar. Only two prototypes were built, and this is the only privately owned example. You would almost never see it in public, as it’s a prototype and is not registered for road use. The other car is part of Italdesign’s collection.
Volkswagen showcased the W12 Nardo concept at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. It was the most powerful W12 supercar at the time, with the W12 engine rated at 600 hp and 458 lb-ft. The Nardo was capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in just 3.5 seconds and had a top speed of 222 mph.
The car was named after the Nardo high-speed test track in Italy. In fact, it even went on to set a world record at the track, covering 4,809.8 miles at an average speed of 200.6 mph.
Who remembers driving this beast in Test Drive Unlimited 2?
Source: @horsepower_hunters, @varryx_
