AutoRAI 1999 - the concept cars:

Volkswagen

Not very new but very beautiful: the Volkswagen "sport study" W12. It was introduced at the Tokyo car show in 1997 and kicked-up quite  a lot of dust there. The hand of sports car manufacturer Lamborghini is suspected in this design, but remember: it was designed before the actual take-over of Lamborghini by Volkswagen.
Giorgetto Guigiaro designed the kevlar monocoque bodywork which looks very much like a supercar. It's low, wide and mid-engined and seems very realistic.

The W12 concept car has an engine constructed out of two VR6 2.8 litre units joined together at a 72 degree angle. So the engine boosts 12 cylinders, but it's not really a "W" configuration (3 separate rows of cylinders placed at an angle). It's more a "double V" configuration where two V6 engines with cylinder rows placed very close together are joined at the crankshaft.
The engine produces 420 hp @ 5800 rpm and 530 Nm @ 3000 rpm, but it's said that it could be capable of 700 hp. The car is four wheel driven and has a sequential gearbox. Dimensions are: length 440 cm, width 192 cm and height 104 cm. Wheel diameter is 19 inch.

This car won't be taken into production, nor will it be raced. I don't think that's a pity. It's a nice car to look at and it probably will be a spectacular drive, but it will be also be unaffordable I guess. It's just a very good show-stopper by VW.
The "W12" engine however will possibly feature in top-of-the-line Audis and Volkswagens that will be introduced around the year 2000.

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