A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine whose operation is controlled by multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) including an intake actuator for adjusting an intake air amount, an ignition actuator for adjusting ignition timing and a fuel injection device, the control apparatus comprising: a performance requirement generating unit for generating first performance requirement values representing requirements relating to performance of the internal combustion engine in terms of physical quantities of a first group including torque, efficiency and air-fuel ratio, and generating second performance requirement values representing the requirements relating to performance of the internal combustion engine in terms of physical quantities of a second group that directly specify the operation of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6); engine information acquiring means for acquiring engine information which is information on a current operating state or operating condition of the internal combustion engine; a single actuator requirement value calculating unit having a single engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320) that models, with physical models or statistical models using the engine information as a parameter, the relation between a control amount of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) and each one of the physical quantities of the first group achieved in the internal combustion engine, the actuator requirement value calculating unit calculating for each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) an actuator requirement value which is a control amount to be required of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) by inputting the first performance requirement values and the engine information to the single engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320); multiple actuator requirement value generating units ( 42, 44, 46) which are prepared individually for each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) and calculates, based on the second performance requirement value that directly specifies the operation of an assigned actuator without using the engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320), an actuator direct requirement value which is a control amount to be required of the assigned actuator independently of each other; and multiple changeover units ( 52, 54, 56; 62, 64, 66) for changing control of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) between that according to the actuator requirement value and that according to the actuator direct requirement value. a performance requirement generating unit for generating first performance requirement values representing requirements relating to performance of the internal combustion engine in terms of physical quantities of a first group including torque, efficiency and air-fuel ratio, and generating second performance requirement values representing the requirements relating to performance of the internal combustion engine in terms of physical quantities of a second group that directly specify the operation of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6); engine information acquiring means for acquiring engine information which is information on a current operating state or operating condition of the internal combustion engine; a single actuator requirement value calculating unit having a single engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320) that models, with physical models or statistical models using the engine information as a parameter, the relation between a control amount of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) and each one of the physical quantities of the first group achieved in the internal combustion engine, the actuator requirement value calculating unit calculating for each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) an actuator requirement value which is a control amount to be required of each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) by inputting the first performance requirement values and the engine information to the single engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320); multiple actuator requirement value generating units ( 42, 44, 46) which are prepared individually for each of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) and calculates, based on the second performance requirement value that directly specifies the operation of an assigned actuator without using the engine inverse model (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 320), an actuator direct requirement value which is a control amount to be required of the assigned actuator independently of each other; and multiple changeover units ( 52, 54, 56; 62, 64, 66) for changing control of the multiple actuators ( 2, 4, 6) between that according to the actuator requirement value and that according to the actuator direct requirement value.