When the Auto Union Racers Returned at Goodwood

1. The Mercedes W125 ‘Silver Arrow’

Designed by Ferdinand Porsche and first manufactured in 1934, the Auto Union Type A was a unique vehicle – it had a 4.4-liter V16 engine that actually sat behind the driver. Why? In order to better capitalize on the car’s weight distribution. At the 1934 Avus race, the car outpaced its other entrants – so much so that by the tenth lap it was a full minute ahead of its nearest rival. The car had not returned to the track till 2012 when the Auto Union Racers returned for the first time to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

The W125 pictured here is one of at least 10 'Silver Arrows' that participated at the 2012 Goodwood Revival.

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2. Audi partook in the race as well

All the big car brands partook in the race, including Audi.

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3. ‘Karassik models’ drove alongside one another for the first time in decades

The famous “Karassik models” are made largely from original parts: the Auto Union Type D (1938) and Audi Tradition’s recently acquired Auto Union Type D Dual Compressor from 1939. Both vehicles were restored in the early 1990s, and the 2012 race marked the first time that they have appeared side by side.

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4. Engine warm-up

One of the better shots captured – this here is an Auto Union V16 Type C engine warming up prior to the race.

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5. What the cars and track used to look like

We have all of these photos of the restored vehicles, why not at least picture what it all used to look like – if nothing else to give greater appreciation for the work the teams put into their prized vehicles.

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