The best-kept secret of Audi: a 16-cylinder car you have never seen before

On 17 July 2024, Audi Tradition made a historic presentation at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, unveiling the Auto Union Type 52, a vehicle that brings together the heritage and innovation of the brand. Known as Schnellsportwagen, this dream car combines striking design and exceptional performance, based on the legendary technology of the Silver Arrows of the 1930s.

To understand the magnitude of this recreation, we need to look back at the history of Auto Union AG, a company formed in 1932 through the merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. Under this new four-ring emblem, Auto Union quickly plunged into the world of competition, seeking to show a different and revolutionary approach to design and technology.

In 1933, the company commissioned Ferdinand Porsche to create a racing car for the 750 kg category of the Grand Prix. Thus the Auto Union Type A was born, a vehicle that, with its mid-engine layout, set a precedent in motorsport and gave rise to the famous legend of the Silver Arrows. This design remains the norm in today’s Formula 1.

The Schnellsportwagen dream

While developing their racing cars, Auto Union and Porsche also dreamed of a road-going sports version; that was the Auto Union Type 52. Designed for long-distance races such as the Mille Miglia and endurance competitions such as Le Mans, the Type 52 promised to be both a competition car and a classic luxury car. However, this project was forgotten until Audi decided to bring it back to life.

Mid-mounted 16-cylinder engine

Based on the technology of the racing car of its era, the Auto Union Type 52 features a ladder frame and a mid-mounted engine, using the transmission of the Auto Union Type 22 with some modifications to adapt it to regular petrol. The engine is a 16-cylinder, 4.4-litre unit that produces 200 CV at 3,650 rpm and a maximum torque of 436 Nm at 2,350 rpm, with a calculated top speed of 200 km/h.

The construction of the Type 52 was entrusted to the British restoration experts Crosthwaite & Gardner, who worked from the surviving historical documents, plans and sketches. After several years of work, the Schnellsportwagen was completed in 2023, measuring over five metres in length, with an elongated silhouette and a fairly aerodynamic design.

Unique recreated details

Unlike its racing siblings, the Type 52 is also designed for everyday driving. It is equipped with a roof, headlights and luggage space, seating three passengers, with the driver seated in the centre and the rear seats slightly offset to the sides. The car also features a leaf-spring and hydraulic shock absorber suspension, drum brakes and wire-spoke wheels.

Recreating the Type 52 was a technical challenge: there were no photographs of any finished model and many files had been lost, so the experts had to make decisions based on plans and historical documentation. Audi decided to keep the original power of the 16-cylinder engine, using a special methanol blend, and chose the Cellulose Silver colour for the car’s finish.

Auto Union Type 52 image gallery