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The Auto Union Type 52 was a 1930s proposal for a road-going, high-speed sports car derived from the company’s Grand Prix engineering. The planned car was never built in period. Audi Tradition created a one-off modern interpretation, unveiled in 2024, with an engine and specifications that differ substantially from the original plan.
What was the Auto Union Type 52?
In 1933, Auto Union AG commissioned Ferdinand Porsche’s Stuttgart design office to develop a Grand Prix car for the 750 kg formula. Alongside that work, the office began planning a road-going sports sedan or GT, later known as the Type 52 Schnellsportwagen. Audi’s account dates the first design sketches to late 1933, with the concept becoming more concrete in 1934.
The Type 52 was intended to bring Auto Union’s racing-derived engineering to customer sports-car use. Plans envisaged long-distance events such as the Mille Miglia and endurance races at Spa-Francorchamps or Le Mans; a factory-racing role was also discussed. Those aims describe the proposed role, not actual entries or results: no period Type 52 race record exists.
Was the Type 52 ever built?
No period-built Type 52 is known. Audi says project managers decided to build a test car, but none is known to have materialized, and the project was abandoned in 1935. The historical car is therefore documented through design work and records rather than a surviving original vehicle.
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Audi Tradition later made a physical interpretation of the design. It presented the one-off car publicly at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2024. That reconstruction is not evidence of 1930s production, a customer sales program, or a period competition appearance.
What did the original plan specify?
Audi’s technical data, published with its 11 July 2024 release, describes the planned 1934 configuration as follows:
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- Chassis: ladder frame.
- Engine and layout: mid-mounted, supercharged 16-cylinder engine, with the Type 22 drivetrain.
- Displacement: 4,358 cc.
- Output: around 200 PS (147 kW) at 3,650 rpm.
- Fuel: regular gasoline.
- Weight: 1,300 kg unladen.
- Intended top speed: 200 km/h.
The 200 km/h figure is a design target for the unbuilt proposal, not a measured speed. It should not be applied to Audi’s modern car, for which Audi’s table lists no top-speed figure.
How does Audi’s reconstruction differ?
Audi describes its car as the closest approximation to the imagined Schnellsportwagen based on the information handed down. It preserves the concept’s dramatic 16-cylinder character, but Audi intentionally used a different engine rather than reproducing the planned, regular-gasoline 4.4-liter unit. The modern engine is based on the Type C Grand Prix car’s powerplant and was not restricted to the output envisaged for the Type 52.
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- [SPECIFICATION]: 1 segment: 1/4oz, 1 strip: 12 segments, 1 box: 4 strips; 4 segments, 12oz in total
- [ANTI-CORROSION]: Electro-galvanization and multi-layer omnidirectional plastic spraying prevent rust and corrosion. Lead-free zinc coating ensures wheel weights withstand harsh weather for long-lasting durability
- [WIDE APPLICABILITY]: Tire balance weights offer secure and balanced driving experience for cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs. These wheel weights stick on perfectly for balancing. Ideal for hobbies, crafts, and other daily life uses. Tire weights stick on ensure versatility across multiple applications
- [SUPERIOR QUALITY]: Precise wheel weights with strong adhesive ensure firm attachment. Four-season tape with wide paper backing provides easy peeling and perfect sticking. Low profile wheel weights design contours to any wheel shape for optimal fitment. Eco-friendly powder-coated steel delivers durability
- [COMMITMENT]: Sposuit tire balance weights come with comprehensive warranty and dedicated customer support. Our tire weights undergo rigorous quality testing. If you have any concerns about missing components or product quality, contact us for prompt resolution
| Specification | 1934 plan | Audi Tradition reconstruction |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Unbuilt proposal, documented through design work and records | One-of-a-kind physical interpretation, presented in 2024 |
| Engine | Mid-mounted supercharged 16-cylinder; Type 22 drivetrain | Type C-based 16-cylinder |
| Displacement | 4,358 cc | 6,005 cc |
| Output | Around 200 PS (147 kW) at 3,650 rpm | 520 PS (382 kW) at 4,500 rpm |
| Fuel | Regular gasoline | 50% methanol, 40% super unleaded gasoline and 10% toluene, according to Audi |
| Unladen weight | 1,300 kg | 1,450 kg |
| Top speed | Designed for 200 km/h; not a measured result | Not stated by Audi; its technical table gives “n/a” |
The figures in both columns are Audi’s published specifications, not independent measurements. The modern car’s substantially greater displacement and output reflect its different engine, not proof that the unbuilt period proposal had those capabilities.
What is known—and not known—about the reconstruction?
Audi says it worked from handed-down information, but does not provide a complete inventory of the surviving documents or quantify uncertainty for each design decision. The reconstruction is best understood as a carefully researched interpretation, not a newly discovered original or a precise, fully verifiable replica of every planned detail.
Rank #4
- [SPECIFICATION]: 1 segment: 1/2oz, 1 strip: 6 segments, 1 box: 4 strips; 24 segments, 12oz in total
- [ANTI-CORROSION]: Electro-galvanization and multi-layer omnidirectional plastic spraying prevent rust and corrosion. Lead-free zinc coating ensures wheel weights withstand harsh weather for long-lasting durability
- [WIDE APPLICABILITY]: Tire balance weights offer secure and balanced driving experience for cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs. These wheel weights stick on perfectly for balancing. Ideal for hobbies, crafts, and other daily life uses. Tire weights stick on ensure versatility across multiple applications
- [SUPERIOR QUALITY]: Precise wheel weights with strong adhesive ensure firm attachment. Four-season tape with wide paper backing provides easy peeling and perfect sticking. Low profile wheel weights design contours to any wheel shape for optimal fitment. Eco-friendly powder-coated steel delivers durability
- [COMMITMENT]: Sposuit tire balance weights come with comprehensive warranty and dedicated customer support. Our tire weights undergo rigorous quality testing. If you have any concerns about missing components or product quality, contact us for prompt resolution
Even the finish should not be mistaken for a confirmed period specification. Audi says the documents it consulted did not specify the original color; it chose Cellulose Silver with the racing cars as its reference. Silver is therefore a choice for the reconstruction, not an established color for the proposed Type 52.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you buy a Type 52?
There is no retail Type 52 vehicle: Audi’s car is a one-off heritage model, not a production car. A related collectible is AutoCult’s 1:43-scale model of the historical Porsche–Auto Union Type 52 design, product 99117, supplied with its 2017 book. AutoCult’s manufacturer page marks that set sold out; this miniature represents the planned historical design, not Audi’s modern reconstruction. AutoCult product listing
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- [SPECIFICATION]: 1 segment: 1/4oz, 1 strip: 12 segments, 1 box: 48 strips; 576 segments, 144oz in total
- [ANTI-CORROSION]: Electro-galvanization and multi-layer omnidirectional plastic spraying prevent rust and corrosion. Lead-free zinc coating ensures wheel weights withstand harsh weather for long-lasting durability
- [WIDE APPLICABILITY]: Tire balance weights offer secure and balanced driving experience for cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs. These wheel weights stick on perfectly for balancing. Ideal for hobbies, crafts, and other daily life uses. Tire weights stick on ensure versatility across multiple applications
- [SUPERIOR QUALITY]: Precise wheel weights with strong adhesive ensure firm attachment. Four-season tape with wide paper backing provides easy peeling and perfect sticking. Low profile wheel weights design contours to any wheel shape for optimal fitment. Eco-friendly powder-coated steel delivers durability
- [COMMITMENT]: Sposuit tire balance weights come with comprehensive warranty and dedicated customer support. Our tire weights undergo rigorous quality testing. If you have any concerns about missing components or product quality, contact us for prompt resolution
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