Audi has made a grand entrance at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, showcasing a remarkable recreation of the legendary Auto Union Type 52—a mid-engined, 16-cylinder 'supercar' concept never realised in the 1930s.
Reviving a pre-war marvel
The Type 52, also known as the "Schnellsportswagen" (German for "fast sports car"), was a dream project between Auto Union (which later became Audi) and the famous car designer Ferdinand Porsche.
It was originally conceived as a road-legal counterpart to Auto Union's dominant Grand Prix racers. The designers envisioned a three-seater sports car with a mid-engine layout similar to the McLaren F1, showcasing cutting-edge technology for its time.
However, due to various unfortunate circumstances, the project was shelved before it could reach production.
The recreated Type 52 offers a tantalising glimpse into an alternate reality where Auto Union's ambitious supercar project came to fruition.
While the design team had to make some modifications to the original plans, such as extending the wheelbase to accommodate the larger engine, the final result remains faithful to the spirit of the original concept.
Bridging past and present
Audi entrusted the ambitious task of resurrecting the Type 52 to Crosthwaite & Gardner, a British firm renowned for its expertise in restoring vintage Auto Union race cars.
The team recreated the iconic supercar from scratch, drawing inspiration from the original plans and incorporating modern engineering solutions where necessary.
The original plans for the Type 52 envisioned a 4.4-litre V16 engine, similar to the one found in the 1934 Type A race cars, but detuned for road use. That would have delivered 147kW, supercharger included.
However, Crosthwaite & Gardner took advantage of historical knowledge and upgraded the engine to a 6.0-litre V16 from the later 1936 Type C race car. This supercharged powerhouse produces a staggering 382kW, promising exhilarating performance even by today's standards.
1930s luxury
The interior of the Type 52 features a unique three-seat layout with a centrally positioned driver's seat and two passenger seats slightly behind.
While the presence of rear doors might suggest a traditional two-row seating arrangement, the reality is that the enormous V16 engine occupies the entire rear compartment, making it a true driver-focused machine.
Audi's recreation of the Auto Union Type 52 emphasises the brand's rich motorsport heritage and its commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering.
While the Type 52 remains a one-off creation, it can serve as inspiration for future generations of car enthusiasts and a reminder of the incredible ingenuity that defined the pre-war era of motorsport.
