The 1938-9 AutoUnion Type D is still tearing up the track... [PIC]

in virtual reality at least, as one of the most expensive and fastest vintage super car in the video games, Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport. The actual AutoUnion Type letter series was actually developed by Ferdinand Porsche and built in the Horch plant in Zwickau, Germany. The prewar of Grand Prix racing was known as the 750 kg era, where the extreme weight limitation was to help tone down horsepower and making racing safer, but technology made that point moot. This era was dominated by the Mercedes and AutoUnion Silver Arrows. While Mercedes ran conventional front engine RWD cars, AutoUnion cars were mid engine with the driver also seated way back from the front wheels. Prior types (A-C) had V16 engines but the Type D got a brand new 3.0 liter triple car V12 with a Roots type supercharger which in 1938, produced 420 hp. For 1939, a two stage supercharger was added bringing output to 485 hp. By 1939, the redesigned Type D posted some significant Grand Prix wins before the season was cut short by WWll. At the wars end, the Zwickau plant wound  up in the Soviet sphere and the entire inventory of Cs and Ds were shipped to Russia where, without the proper tools, they wound up being sawn apart. One back half was actually converted into a tractor. Ultimately, enough pieces were cobbled together so that there exists a Type C, The Type C dually hill climber, and one two stage Type D.

Model by CMC.