Audi Rosemeyer Concept Hits 25-Year Milestone
INGOLSTADT, Germany (WHN) – Audi is marking the 25th anniversary of its Project Rosemeyer concept car, a high-performance study first revealed in 2000 that paid direct homage to the Auto Union “Silver Arrow” Grand Prix racers of the 1930s. The mid-engine prototype never entered production. Its development, however, served as a critical engineering and design precursor to the Bugatti Veyron and the Audi R8, company historical documents confirm.
The concept was a surprise reveal. It debuted at the opening of Volkswagen Group’s Autostadt complex in Wolfsburg, Germany, on June 1, 2000.
Named for legendary Auto Union driver Bernd Rosemeyer, the vehicle’s form was a deliberate tribute to the dominant Type C and Type D race cars. The concept’s brushed aluminum body and prominent, waterfall-style grille were designed to evoke the unpainted machines that raced across Europe before World War II. Its design was led by Stefan Sielaff under the direction of then-Head of Design Peter Schreyer.
At its heart was a massive, naturally aspirated 8.0-liter W16 engine. This powerplant was reported at the time to produce 700 horsepower. The engine was mounted in the middle of the chassis, a layout Audi would later commercialize with its R8 supercar. The Rosemeyer also featured Audi’s signature Quattro all-wheel-drive system.
The interior was minimalist. It featured materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and fire-resistant Nomex, mirroring the spartan cockpits of its racing ancestors. The open-gate manual shifter was a prominent feature, a detail that also appeared in the first-generation R8.
Project Rosemeyer emerged during a period of intense ambition for the Volkswagen Group under chairman Ferdinand Piëch. It was one of a trio of W-engined supercar concepts, alongside the 1999 Bentley Hunaudières (W16) and the 1999 Audi W12 “Nardò” coupe. These projects were internal showcases of the group’s engineering capabilities.
Ultimately, Audi management decided against producing the Rosemeyer. The decision was made to avoid internal brand competition with Lamborghini, which Audi had acquired in 1998, according to memos from the period. The top-tier supercar project, along with a more advanced quad-turbocharged version of the W16 engine, was instead assigned to the newly revived Bugatti brand.
The result was the 1,001-horsepower Bugatti Veyron 16.4, launched in 2005, which shared the Rosemeyer’s fundamental engine architecture and mid-ship layout.
Design elements from the Rosemeyer concept were not abandoned. Its rounded roofline, prominent side air intakes, and overall proportions heavily influenced the final design of the Audi R8, which launched in 2006. The concept was a “technical and formal forerunner of the R8,” Audi has stated in its corporate archives.
The fully functional, one-off Audi Rosemeyer concept car is a permanent exhibit. It resides at the Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt, Germany.
