Audi Recreates the 1935 Auto Union V-16 Streamliner That Hit 203 MPH

Auto Union, the predecessor of modern-day Audi, dominated speed records in the 1930s with its futuristic Silver Arrows race cars. Most of these iconic vehicles were lost after their racing careers ended, but Audi has now commissioned a British restoration shop to bring one of the most legendary models back to life: the Auto Union V-16 streamliner, nicknamed the 'Lucca.'

On February 15, 1935, the original supercharged V-16 streamliner set a flying-start mile record with an average speed of 199 mph and a top speed of 203 mph. These figures were groundbreaking for the era, but the location where they were achieved was equally notable. Instead of a race track, Auto Union chose a straight section of the Italian autostrada—the equivalent of a public highway—near the town of Lucca, just 20 km northeast of Pisa.

Why a public road? Audi explains that February weather in Hungary, their first choice, was poor, and snow still covered parts of northern Italy. The car was driven by Hans Stuck, whose son, Hans-Joachim Stuck, later became a renowned racing driver. The press of the time hailed the 'Lucca' as the fastest race car in the world, dubbing it the Rennlimousine (racing sedan). The vehicle also secured a major victory for Auto Union in its high-speed rivalry with Daimler. Just months earlier, in October 1934, Rudolf Caracciola in a Daimler-Benz had set a flying-mile record with an average speed of 196.7 mph.

The 'Lucca' later competed in the fifth International Avus Race in Berlin, but it retired due to cooling issues. Its fate after the race remains unclear. Like many race cars of the era, it was likely scrapped as it became outdated. Only a few Silver Arrows survived, with two restored in the 1990s.

Without a donor car available, Audi tasked the British restoration shop Crosthwaite Gardiner—known for restoring multiple Silver Arrows—with recreating the 'Lucca' from scratch. The project relied on period photographs and archival documents, but it still took over three years to complete. The recreation was finished in early 2026.

Challenges and Modifications in the Recreation

Since spare parts were unavailable, every component of the 'Lucca' had to be handcrafted. The streamlined body posed a particular challenge, but the final result achieved a drag coefficient of 0.43. Audi also requested several modifications, including the installation of the ventilation system originally designed for the 1935 Berlin race.

The engine is another key feature. Power comes from a 6.0-liter, supercharged 16-cylinder unit sourced from the 1936 Auto Union Type C, a later variant of the 5.0-liter powerplant that powered the original 'Lucca' to its record runs. Notably, the 6006 cc displacement was the largest piston engine used by any manufacturer during this period. The engine produces an astonishing 512 horsepower at 4,500 rpm and runs on a fuel blend of 50% methanol and 40%—details of the remaining 10% are unspecified.