Auto Union Lucca has Been Recreated

In the 1930s German automakers were locked in battle, all vying for the title of the ‘world’s fastest’. For the most part the brands would just slap an aero-body on an F1 car and find a road long enough. Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, the predecessor to Audi, were the protagonists in this Teutonic battle. That’s where Auto Union Lucca comes in.

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Setting a Record

Auto Union Lucca was one of the cars used to set a record on 15 February 1935. The car takes its name from a perfectly straight stretch of road near the town of, you guessed it, Lucca, which is between the towns of Pescia and Altopascio. The tear-dropped shaped machine achieved a calculated average speed of 320,267 km/h and a measured top speed of 326,975 km/h. At the time is was billed the fastest road racing car in the world.

In period, Lucca was powered by 5,0-litre V16 that developed 276 kW. That does not sound like much today when even hot hatches have more power on tap. But it was the 1930s and the massive top speed was achieved with the help of a slippery body. Sadly, the original car was lost somewhere along the way. A little skirmish called WWII took place and many pieces of history were either destroyed or ‘removed’ when the war ended in 1945.

Audi does not yet have any Auto Union racing or record-attempt cars from the early Grand Prix era in its historic vehicle collection. With the Auto Union Lucca, we are adding a highly evocative member of the Silver Arrow family to the Audi AG collection. The record-breaking car from Lucca is an impressive demonstration of the role of engineering: setting new standards, breaking new ground, and continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The car is a testament to the technical innovation of the four rings and shows how ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ was achieved in the 1930s. To me, the Auto Union Lucca is a masterpiece of engineering, tuned for high speeds and maximum performance, yet at the same time a beautiful car – in my view, this combination is unique
– Stefan Trauf, head of Audi Tradition
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Remaking a Record-Setter

Audi had the Auto Union Lucca recreated by Crosthwaite & Gardiner based on historical photos and various other documents from the archives. As a result the car you see pictured is, in essence, a 2026 model. It took the British outfit three years to faithfully recreate the record-setting car. Every bit of the car has been handcrafted, including the aluminium body panels.

While the team tried to stay as true to the original, some discretion as the car will be driven at various events around the world. As a result the recreation has a larger, supercharged 6,0-litre V16 that can handle higher temps experienced at lower speeds eg for demonstration runs. That is has more power, about 380 kW, is a handy side effect. There is also an improved cooling system, which includes slightly modified bodywork to feed it.

Lucca will make its first public appearance in motion at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England from 9 to 12 July 2026.