21:05 06-05-2026

Audi Tradition Recreates the Record-Breaking Auto Union Lucca

Audi Tradition has recreated the 1935 Auto Union Lucca, a record-breaking racer that reached 327 km/h. See the meticulous replica at Goodwood 2026.

Audi Tradition has unveiled a meticulously recreated Auto Union Lucca, one of the most extraordinary record-breaking cars of the pre-war era. The original made history on February 15, 1935, when Hans Stuck reached a top speed of 326.975 km/h on a stretch of autobahn near Lucca, Italy, with an average flying-mile speed of 320.267 km/h.

The three-year reconstruction was handled by Crosthwaite & Gardiner in the UK, and the completed car now joins Audi’s historic collection. Crucially, this is not a surviving original but a carefully built replica that fills a gap in Audi Tradition’s collection. Its first dynamic appearance is slated for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2026.

The original Auto Union Lucca emerged during the intense speed-record rivalry between Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. Wind tunnel testing shaped the body, with enclosed wheels and a tall tail fin behind the cockpit. Beneath the streamlined shell sat an early 16-cylinder engine, displacing around 5.0 liters and producing 343 hp—extreme engineering by 1935 standards.

For the recreation, Audi opted for a 6.0-liter Type C engine. Outwardly period-correct, it simplifies maintenance and boosts reliability for demonstration runs. Improved cooling is also essential, as the car would otherwise face severe thermal strain during modern displays. And if needed, the car can be switched to AVUS specification, closely mirroring the configuration that appeared in Berlin in May 1935.

What Audi has done here goes beyond simply displaying a museum artifact; it has returned to active service a significant piece of Auto Union's engineering history, from a time when 327 km/h on a regular autobahn seemed almost beyond reach.