Audi has recreated a record-breaking 1935 car (11 photos)
The British firm Crosthwaite & Gardiner, commissioned by Audi, recreated the Auto Union Lucca racing car using historical documents and photographs. The original car set a land speed record in 1935. The replica will be unveiled this month in Italy and later at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
On February 15, 1935, the Auto Union Lucca achieved a top speed of 326.975 km/h (206.875 mph) on the motorway near Lucca, Italy. The car earned the title of the fastest road-going racing car in the world. Piloted by Hans Stuck, the race was originally planned for Hungary, but weather conditions forced the organizers to change the location. 
The body was carefully sanded and clear-coated. The spoked wheels were covered with aerodynamic covers. The 5-liter V16 engine initially produced 343 horsepower, and later 375. The weight of the car and driver was just over a ton. The dimensions of the car were 4570 x 1200 x 1700 millimeters, with a wheelbase of 2800 millimeters. 
British specialists rebuilt the car over three years, completing the project earlier this year. All parts were handcrafted from scratch. The engine was a different one, from an Auto Union Type C 1936 model. It has a displacement of six liters, but visually it is virtually identical to the original. It is equipped with a supercharger and produces 520 hp when running on a mixture of gasoline, methanol, and toluene. 
