At the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Audi introduced its latest electric vehicle, the RS E-Tron GT Performance, which it touts as the “most intense car” in its history. This model can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. While Audi focuses on the future with its fastest E-Tron yet, the company also took steps to address a long-standing project by unveiling the Auto Union Type 52. This 16-cylinder sports sedan, co-developed with Ferdinand Porsche, has been in the works for over 90 years.
The Type 52 harks back to the origins of Auto Union AG, which was established in 1932 by bringing together several German car manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. The four rings featured in the Audi logo symbolize this union. In 1933, Auto Union commissioned Ferdinand Porsche to create designs for a race car that would comply with new Grand Prix regulations set to begin in 1934. These racing endeavors were notably supported by the government under Chancellor Adolf Hitler.
As per the new Grand Prix regulations, the race car had to weigh no more than 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds). Porsche’s design team created the rear-mid engine Auto Union Type A, or Porsche Type 22. The supercharged V16 racing cars enjoyed considerable success in Grand Prix competitions starting in 1934 and continued until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Together with their Mercedes-Benz counterparts, the Auto Union vehicles earned the nickname “Silver Arrows.”
What many people did not realize was that while Auto Union and Porsche were working on the Type A, they were simultaneously planning to create a street-legal sports sedan inspired by the race cars. The original sketches from 1933 refer to this model as the “Schnellsportwagen,” which translates to “fast sports car” in German. Although a test vehicle was intended, by 1935 the project had stalled and was ultimately abandoned—until now.
Audi engaged the services of restoration experts Crosthwaite & Gardner to reconstruct the Auto Union Type 52, utilizing archival documentation and original design sketches. The British firm has been instrumental in helping Audi preserve its Silver Arrow collection. Given their experience, they were the perfect choice for reviving the car, which closely mirrors the drivetrain of the original Type 22 model.
After such a lengthy delay, there are significant changes between the original Type 52 design from 1934 and the production model that has finally emerged in 2023. For example, the engine displacement of the supercharged V16 increased from 4.4 liters to 6.0 liters, resembling later Auto Union Type C models. Consequently, power output surged from 197 to 512 horsepower. As a street-legal counterpart to a race car, the Type 52 could not match the lightweight of the Type 22, as Porsche aimed for an unladen weight of just 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds). The 2023 model weighed in at 1,450 kilograms (3,197 pounds) and measures over 17.6 feet in length with a wheelbase of 10.9 feet.
It retains the characteristic silver color of the Type 22s from which it was inspired. Designed with aerodynamics and performance in mind, the Type 52 functions more like a grand tourer today. The driver sits at the center, reminiscent of a true race car, while two rear seats are located to the sides. There’s also ample room for luggage and two spare tires. Motorsport legend Tom Kristensen is set to drive the newly revived car at the Goodwood Hillclimb. The nine-time Le Mans winner and former Audi driver described the Type 52 as “the most powerful car we never built.”
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