The Italdesign studio, founded by the famous stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro, is renowned for having designed several great classics of the automobile world. These include the Audi 80 (1976), De Lorean DMC-12 (1981), Lotus Esprit (1973), Maserati Ghibli I (1966) and Quattroporte III (1979), SAAB 9000 (1984), Volkswagen Golf (1974), and Scirocco (1974). Apart from these production cars, Italdesign Giugiaro has also been the source of many concept cars, the most recent being the Nanuk Quattro.

Following the tradition of Italian GT cars, the Nanuk Quattro is a supercar that can reach nearly 190 miles per hour and accelerates to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds. This power is delivered by a V10 turbodiesel 5-liter engine, which generates 544 horsepower and 738 lbs-ft of torque. This engine could be inaugurated in the next generation of the Q7 in 2015.

But the trait that distinguishes the Nanuk Quattro from the other supercars of this world is its pneumatic suspension, which allows the floor to be lowered by 1 2/10 of an inch for highway or track driving. It is also possible to increase ground clearance by 1 6/10 of an inch when venturing into rough terrain. Because of the off-road capabilities of this Audi, the tires are not low profile, with 235/50R22 rubber in front and 295/45R22 in the rear.

Because it is an Audi, the Nanuk Quattro has the advantage of permanent four-wheel drive. However, its integral steering system is a surprising feature. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn up to nine degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels. At higher speeds, the system turns the rear wheels by as much as 2.5 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels. This mechanism improves the car’s stability and handling.

Is the Nanuk Quattro the forerunner of the new R8 generation?