Summary
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Audi Tradition has officially unveiled its faithful recreation of the Auto Union Lucca, a legendary 1930s record-breaking vehicle, appropriately debuting the car in the Italian city of Lucca
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The multi-year reconstruction project was meticulously undertaken by British restoration specialists Crosthwaite & Gardiner, relying heavily on archival photos and historical documentation
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The 2026 recreation is powered by a massive 6.0-liter supercharged 16-cylinder engine that produces an immense 520 horsepower
In the 1930s, the pursuit of speed was an international obsession that fueled some of the most daring engineering feats in automotive history. Now, Audi Tradition is reviving one of the crown jewels of that extreme era. In a fitting tribute to its namesake, the brand has traveled to the Italian city of Lucca to unveil a masterful recreation of the 1935 Auto Union Lucca. Known at the time as a “Rennlimousine” (racing sedan), the Silver Arrow has been painstakingly resurrected from history to serve as a functional, roaring testament to the raw innovation of early aerodynamic racing.
The original Auto Union Lucca was born out of a fierce, high-stakes rivalry with Mercedes-Benz to dominate the world’s speed records. Using pioneering wind tunnel research from the Berlin-Adlershof Aeronautical Research Institute, engineers crafted a radically streamlined, enclosed-cockpit machine featuring teardrop wheel arches, covered spoked wheels, and a long, fin-like rear end. On February 15, 1935, legendary driver Hans Stuck pushed the vehicle to its absolute limits on a straight section of autostrada near Lucca. He achieved an astonishing top speed of 326.975 km/h (203.17 mph)—all without the luxury of modern aerodynamics, safety equipment, or stability control.
Because the original machine was lost to history, Audi Tradition commissioned the renowned British restoration specialists at Crosthwaite & Gardiner to bring the icon back to life. Over the course of three years, the team analyzed archival photographs and period documentation to hand-craft the sleek cellulose silver bodywork and raw, purpose-built chassis, completing the one-off project in early 2026.
Underneath the vintage aerodynamic shell lies a truly monstrous powerplant. While the 1935 original utilized a 5.0-liter block, the modern recreation is fitted with the visually identical 6.0-liter supercharged 16-cylinder engine from an Auto Union Type C to ensure durability for modern demonstration runs. Pumping out 520 horsepower at 4,500 rpm, the engine breathes through upward-pointing exhaust pipes and requires a specialized methanol fuel blend to unleash its full potential. Weighing in at a mere 960 kilograms (2,116 lbs), the car boasts a power-to-weight ratio that commands respect even by today’s hypercar standards.
By resurrecting the Auto Union Lucca, Audi has done far more than build a static museum piece; it has reconstructed a living, breathing chapter of motorsport history. After completing its ceremonial unveiling in Italy, the silver behemoth is gearing up to conquer the modern era, with its first public dynamic runs scheduled for the Goodwood Festival of Speed this July.
