An exact recreation of the Auto Union Lucca record-breaking car will make its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
This follows the Rennlimousine’s unveiling in Lucca, Italy on 6 May where the car set a flying start mile record average speed of 320.267kph and a top speed of 326.975kph.
These achievements made the supercharged V16 machine the fastest road racing car in the world at the time.
The car was completed in early 2026 and is now part of Audi Tradition’s Silver Arrows collection.
Audi had the Auto Union Lucca recreated by Crosthwaite & Gardiner based on historical photos and various other documents from the archives.
After spending just over three years on its construction, the British restoration specialists completed the project in early 2026.
Timo Witt, who is Project Manager for the Auto Union Lucca, said: ‘I’m impressed by the agility and speed with which they responded to the competition back in the 1930s – in the technical realm, in vehicle development, and in organizational matters.
‘we recreated the car as authentically as possible, but at the same time, issues such as the car’s durability and maximizing efficiency in the project’s implementation were also important to us.’
The recreated car uses a 6.0-litre V16 in place of an original specification 5.0-litre unit for improved durability. It is also visually indistinguishable from the original unit and this 6.0-litre motor is interchangeable with other Silver Arrows collection cars.
The Auto Union Lucca also features several modifications that were implemented for the Avus race in Berlin in May 1935, such as the ventilation system. Timo Witt added: ‘We made these changes to the Auto Union Lucca because, otherwise, the vehicle would have been subjected to excessive thermal stress during our upcoming demonstration runs.’
With minor modifications to the radiator or the body panels, the Auto Union Lucca can be converted into the Avus car.
It will run in Lucca form at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that takes place on 9-12 July.
