1936 Auto Union Type D review

Auto Union Type D review:

In 2006 the The Audi Tradition programme of events is influenced by the Silver Arrows of Auto Union and the historical department of AUDI AG will be celebrating its Silver Arrow treasures at events at home and abroad. On several occasions the Auto Union racing cars of the thirties will be turning out, recalling the European Championship win in 1936 with Bernd Rosemeyer at the wheel, comparable with today's Formula 1 World Championship.In this respect a particular highlight will be the completion of the last Auto Union Type D.

At the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 7 to 9 July 2006, in England, this most elegant of all the Auto Union Silver Arrows will celebrate its world premiere. A beautiful work of art was created: Audi Tradition is having the twin-supercharged Auto Union Type D projectile from 1939 rebuilt by restoration specialists Crosthwaite & Gardiner (England), and running it for the first time in the home country of motor sport. H.P. Müller won the French Grand Prix in 1939 in this legendary 12-cylinder car, and Tazio Nuvolari won the last Grand Prix before the war, in Belgrade. Goodwood will also reverberate to the sound of a second 12-cylinder car, the original Auto Union Type D from 1938, and of the 16-cylinder Auto Union Type C. The Audi 200 quattro will be competing in the TransAm series held at Goodwood: it was with this racing car that Audi achieved a unique string of victories in the hard-fought TransAm Championship in the USA in 1988.

At the Techno Classica veteran car exhibition in Essen at the start of April the 16-cylinder Auto Union Type C will be exhibited, and at Heidelberg Historic in Sinsheim and Neckarsulm in mid-June. On the first weekend in July, the Type C will be completing a few laps at the traditional “Corso” at the Silvretta Classic in Vandans (Austria), in honour of 95-year-old Paul Pietsch, the only surviving Auto Union Silver Arrow driver. The original Auto Union Type D will be putting in an appearance at the Auto Union Veterans Club (AUVC) meet in Brussels. This Type D will drive in Germany at the racetrack for the first time at the start of this year's DTM season at the Hockenheimring on 9 April.