In the late 90s, Volkswagen decided to flex its engineering muscle and prove to the entire automotive industry that they could build a supercar that could rival the best of them. This was subsequently proven at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show when VW unveiled the W12 Nardo to the entire world.

The W12 Nardo was a testament to what Volkswagen could and would do with some of their other brands. This included the likes of Lamborghini, Audi, and even Bugatti. Development of the W12 Nardo was directly linked to the development of more realistic supercars within the other brands. With many even going as far as to say that this was just a way to develop the new Bugatti powertrain and have VW pay for it.

Nevertheless, the W12 Nardo proved critics wrong with impressive performance and a powertrain that went on to power the Bugatti Veyron. To find out more, here are 10 things gearheads forgot about the Volkswagen W12 Nardo.

10 W12 Development

The development of the W12 Nardo was something slightly controversial at times. Many critics questioned why the mass manufacturer was even trying to make a supercar in the first place. However, the plan slowly came to light as the development of the car was shared amongst the Volkswagen brands.

The development of the powertrain was the most important aspect of the car, as it was used as the base of an entire platform for the German automaker. This platform went on to provide the base for the Bugatti Veyron and the Audi R8.

9 1997 Tokyo Motor Show

This impressive piece of technology was in development for a number of years before being unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. The modern W-shaped engine design was the topic on display at the event, with the powertrain being the most important aspect of the presentation.

At the motor show, Volkswagen announced its intention to build three distinct variants of the vehicle before sharing the technology with other brands within the group. This revealed the true intention of the investment and enticed the industry on upcoming developments from VW.

8 Roadster Model

In 1998, Volkswagen released the Roadster version of the car. This version of the car was rear-wheel-drive and came with the same powerful W12 engine. The engine did not get upgraded until 2001 when VW decided to attempt a few world records with the car.

The 2001 version of the Nardo featured a 6.0-Liter engine, compared to the standard 5.6-Liter powertrain that was released in 1997. In addition to this, the model cut down on its weight and could reach a top speed of 221.8 miles per hour.

7 Gullwing Doors

It was not very hard for Volkswagen to show us that the W12 Nardo was a supercar. All we had to do was to look at the doors and we would know for sure. The Nardo featured Gullwing doors that opened up vertically.

This design was taken straight from the likes of Lamborghini, as they were the brand known for their over-the-top door designs. The rear of the car was also covered in glass, to allow you to see the beautiful engine, much like a Ferrari.

Related: These Cars Have The Coolest Doors We’ve Ever Seen

6 600 Hp W12 Engine

The powertrain was one of the signature parts of the W12 Nardo. While Volkswagen knew from the start that they would not suddenly become a supercar manufacturer, the Nardo was designed to show the world what they could do with the resources at their disposal.

The Nardo was fitted with a powerful 12-cylinder engine that could produce up to 600 hp The 5.6-liter engine powered all four wheels to get off the line and accelerate to 62 mph in around 3.5 seconds. While this isn’t worthy of the supercar title today, for a car in the late 90s, this was incredibly impressive.

5 Aerodynamic Design

The design of the VW W12 Nardo was something we have never really seen from Volkswagen before. This style mimicked some of the most powerful and noteworthy supercars at the time, such as a Ferrari or McLaren.

The Nardo featured side intakes and a sleek front grille for improved aerodynamics. The car also had a mid-engine design, so it made ample use of the engine and transmission to balance out the car.

Related: These Are The Coolest Active Aero

4 2002 Black Prototype

The Black Prototype model of the W12 was released in 2002. This model built upon the commercial success of the earlier model and introduced a few new design elements to bring the model back to the front of the auto industry.

This model consisted of a slightly tuned powertrain, but was mainly a cosmetic refresh of the entire car. The car had bronze BBS rims that were designed and manufactured specifically for the Nardo in Italy.

3 Shared Technology

When developing the W12 Nardo, Volkswagen spared no expense when it came to the powertrain department. This was because Volkswagen knew they could use that same technology in some of their other, less-profitable brands.

This was a great way to share the technology while placing all of the development costs within the profitable, Volkswagen company. The 12-cylinder engine and surrounding components were all used in the Audi R8 and Bugatti Veyron.

Related: This Was The Best Feature Of The 2011 Bugatti Veyron

2 Featured In Racing Games

Although the W12 was not a particularly successful car for Volkswagen, its social status propelled it to the front of the automotive industry for a while. The iconic doors and bright color made it to the front cover of a few racing games as well.

This included some of the biggest mobile game titles such as Asphalt 8, Gran Turismo, World Racing 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, and GTI Racing. The W12 still maintains a strong presence in the car community, as it remains as a classic car in most of these games today.

Related: It's Fun And Games With The New F1 22 Miami Gameplay Trailer

1 Nardo Ring Record

While the car was never meant to be a viable product over the long term, Volkswagen did invest heavily into the development of the car for its marketing and developmental value.

The main record that was broken by the W12 Nardo was at the Nardo Ring. This was the world record of covering 4,402 miles at an average of 183,5 miles per hour in the span of 24 hours. The car went on to break a number of other world records, highlighting the ability of Volkswagen to create innovative and powerful supercar powertrains.