AssetID: 55694971
Headline: Audi resurrects 1930s pre-war racing supercar using original archive documents
Caption: Audi has brought back to life a stunning pre-war racing car which once smashed speed records at more than 200mph. The sleek Auto Union Lucca is a recreation of the legendary 1935 “Rennlimousine” and has taken three years to build. Powered by a huge mid-mounted V16 engine, the streamlined racer mixes elegant 1930s styling with brutal performance. Audi says the car is one of the most emotional and striking designs ever created under the famous four rings badge. “The Auto Union Lucca embodies – like almost no other model in the lineup of Auto Union racing and record-attempt cars – the deeply emotional fusion of maximum performance and elegant lines,” said Audi. British restoration specialists Crosthwaite & Gardiner handcrafted the car using archive photographs and original documents. Every detail was recreated by hand, from the smooth metal bodywork to the enclosed cockpit canopy. The project was overseen by Timo Witt, who has managed Audi’s historic vehicle collection since 2015. The original Rennlimousine became famous on February 15, 1935, when it tore down an Italian motorway and set a flying-start mile record. It averaged 199mph and hit a top speed of more than 203mph - incredible figures for the era. Power comes from a supercharged V16 engine producing 513bhp. Despite its huge engine, the car weighs only around 2,000lbs - roughly the same as a modern Mazda MX-5. For the rebuild, Audi used a six-litre engine from the Auto Union Type C because it looks almost identical to the original unit used in the 1930s racer. Engineers also tested the car in Audi’s wind tunnel to help recreate the slippery shape that made it so fast. Its wheels and radiator are covered to help air flow smoothly over the body, while the bare polished metal finish saves weight - a trick that helped inspire the famous “Silver Arrows” nickname given to German racing cars of the time. The recreated car also includes special cooling features first developed for the 1935 Avus race in Berlin, helping it cope with modern demonstration runs. Audi unveiled the finished car earlier this month in Lucca, Italy. It will appear in action for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 9 to 12 before joining Audi’s permanent historic collection.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Audi,Auto Union Lucca,Silver Arrows,Goodwood Festival of Speed,V16 engine,pre-war racing car,1935 Rennlimousine,record-breaking car,classic motorsport,vintage race car,203mph racer,Crosthwaite & Gardiner,luxury supercar,historic Audi,aerodynamic racer
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