Volkswagen W12: The record-breaking concept that was never born

With a 6.0-litre W12 with over 500 PS, it is among the most extreme Volkswagens in history

Volkswagen W12 Concept (1997)

By: Alberto Carmone

Published by: Brian Potter

Feb 8, 2025 at 3:05am ET

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At the end of the 1990s, the automotive industry was in a state of flux. Against this backdrop, Volkswagen was determined to make a quantum leap and prove that it could compete in the supercar segment with ambitious projects.

One of these was the W12, a concept designed to enhance the German company's innovative 12-cylinder W architecture. However, the car's fate was sealed by the group's internal dynamics and new corporate strategies, which reduced it to a mere styling exercise.

The dream Volkswagen

The Golf, Polo and Passat were the three models that drove Volkswagen's sales in the late 1990s, but the Group also focused on new powertrains during these years, including a revolutionary 12-cylinder W. Created by combining two 2.8-litre VR6s with a 72° angle between the cylinder banks, it was a true concentration of compactness and power.

Volkswagen W12 (1997)

Such an engine, however, needed to be something completely different from the Volkswagens on the market. That is why, in 1997, CEO Ferdinand Piëch decided to entrust Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign with the design of a car whose only constraints were the presence of Syncro four-wheel drive and a design that emphasised its sporty character.

The right car at the wrong time

The project took shape in record time and after just six months of development, the W12 Syncro was born, unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. It was a mid-engined coupé with 420 PS and 530 Nm of torque, four-wheel drive and a futuristic supercar design.

In 1998, Volkswagen did not give up, but doubled down, presenting the W12 Roadster at the Geneva Motor Show, an open-top version with rear-wheel drive only. It didn't stop there, because in 2001 the W12 Coupé, an extreme evolution of the design, was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. The engine was increased to 6 litres and produced over 500 PS with a torque of 621 Nm.

Volkswagen W12 (2001)

Renamed the W12 Nardò after the world speed record set on the Apulian track, the car accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and reached a top speed of 357 km/h (222 mph), thanks in part to its low weight of just 1,200 kg.

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Everything seems to be ready for production, but here comes the 'catch'. During these years, the group acquired brands such as Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. We will never know the truth, but it is possible that the management at the time realised that such a supercar could have started the adventure of these brands on the wrong foot, slowing down their relaunch and affecting their image.

Although the supercar project was shelved, the W12 did find a place in some models in the years that followed. These include the Bentley Continental, while its 16-cylinder evolution powers the legendary Bugatti Veyron. In short, even though the Volkswagen W12 never saw the light of day as a production model, its technological contribution was fundamental to the future of the Group and the development of top-of-the-range engines.

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