1939 Auto Union 3-liter D-Type V12 - 6

by Vinay  fileunderFound in 1939 Auto Union 3-liter D-Type V12

 

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Capture Date: Aug. 8, 2009
City: Monterey (CA)
Event: Laguna Seca

I pinched this from Sports Car Digest : "Did not sell at high bid of $6,000,000 versus pre-sale estimate of $8,000,000 - $10,000,000. Ex-works, Hans Stuck and Rudolf Hasse; finished fifth in the 1939 German EifelRennen event on the North Circuit of the Nürburgring and sixth in the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France around the superfast public road course at Reims-Gueux." Only good ol' Dr Porsche would design a rear-engined V12 racer, and then make it work.



3 comments about 1939 Auto Union 3-liter D-Type V12

avatar oliver_sudden 9:09am Monday August 24, 2009
 
The guys who drove these and the Mercedes Silver Arrows were supermen. No belts, effectively no brakes, sitting in the fuel tank. At over 200 mph. Legendary. And don't forget there were also V16 Auto Unions. This one is 'only' a V12.
 
avatar JamesAsh 12:02pm Tuesday August 25, 2009
 
Isn't it technically mid-engined, as the majority of the engine is between the axles? Or am I just being a geek? Rosemeyer et al truly wore their balls on their sleeves, as it were.... absolute legends.
 
avatar oliver_sudden 12:27pm Tuesday August 25, 2009
 
Yeah, probably mid-engined is more correct. Either way, that much power on those tyres equals power oversteer at any speed. Legends indeed.
 
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