Audi recreates historic and record-breaking Auto Union Lucca car that became fastest road racing car in the world in 1935
Published on May 06, 2026 at 7:04 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 19, 2026 at 10:29 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Audi just unveiled an incredible car inspired by a 1935 model from Auto Union, the merger that eventually led to the brand as we know it today.
It’ll make its ‘dynamic’ debut – an expression automakers love – in Italy and then the UK but, in the meantime, the pictures look promising.
The lightweight vehicle is a tribute to a car that was briefly the fastest in the world.
Its top speed is impressive even by today’s standards.
Audi is clearly trying to bring back Auto Union vibes
It’s a bit more complicated than this but, simplified, Audi was one of the founding pillars of Auto Union, which later rebranded and used the old once again.
The four-ring brand is clearly trying to honor this name by setting up a dedicated division called ‘Tradition’ and by rebuilding icons from the past.
In this instance, the automaker has unveiled the ‘Auto Union Lucca’ – a tribute to the fastest road-racing car of its time.
In 1935, on the highway near Lucca, Italy, this car reached 326.975km/h – equivalent to 203.17 mph – which is impressive even now.
The car will be unveiled to the public in Lucca in May, and it’ll then travel to the UK to appear at Goodwood.
If you’re around, you should go take a look.
It’s stunning in the pictures; we can only imagine what it must look like ‘in the metal.’
This is the second car of this type
The German manufacturer has clearly taken a look at its catalog and decided to bring back older icons in modern form.
The vehicle above is the second record-breaking Auto Union that the brand decided to bring back from the dead.
A couple of years ago, they unveiled the Auto Union Type 52, a vehicle technically designed in the 1930s but built in 2024.
Called the Auto Union Type 52, this concept car was also nicknamed ‘Schnellsportwagen‘, which tells everything you need to know because ‘schnell’ is German for fast.
The main feature was the super streamlined body to reduce aerodynamic drag and the three-seat layout, just like the McLaren Speedtail or the F1.
It also used a V16, pioneered nearly a century before Bugatti – another VW-related brand – put it in a production car.
We can’t wait for the next one.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
