Audi revives a 90‑year-old dream with the auto union type 52

If you are a fan of alternative history, Audi's latest creation will captivate you—although "latest" might not be the ideal term. The German company decided to build a model that never saw the light of day. For 90 years, it existed solely on the drawing boards. Now, it has hit the roads.

Goodwood Festival of Speed is a major celebration of automotive culture and an opportunity for manufacturers to showcase extraordinary cars. In this regard, Audi is a strong contender for first place in the hearts of visitors in 2024. The company decided to build a car that was never produced. The Auto Union Type 52 is a 16-cylinder car with four-door bodywork that originated on the drawing board as the "civilian" version of a sports model.

In 1932, Auto Union asked Ferdinand Porsche for help in designing a sports car to fit into a new formula announced to start in 1934. The main rule was that the car's weight should not exceed 750 kilograms. This resulted in the Auto Union Type A, also known as the Porsche Type 22. It became the first of the brand's highly successful sports cars. Auto Union had other plans, though, and began working on creating a larger car based on their experiences with the Type A.

This led to the creation of the Auto Union Type 52 – at least theoretically. The car never entered the production phase, and now Audi has decided to change that. Engineers took old plans to the workshop, but implementing them required some modifications.

Originally, the car was powered by a 16-cylinder, centrally located engine with a capacity of 4.4 litres and approximately 200 horsepower. This was supposed to allow it to reach 200 kilometres per hour. Ultimately, a 16-cylinder engine with a capacity of 6.0 litres was used. The unit achieved a power of 520 horsepower, much more than the Type 52's designers had anticipated years ago.

The car's dimensions were also changed. Initially, the car was to have a wheelbase exactly 3 metres. This value was increased to 3.3 metres, and the entire car reached a length of 5.4 metres, a width of 1.75 metres, and a height of 1.65 metres. The car was built and finished with tremendous attention to detail. Of course, it was given a classic silver colour. The project undeniably makes an impression.