1939 Auto Union Type D - A car with quite the history and price tag to match.
3 Liter Supercharged V-12. 485 bhp @ 7000 rpm (max 10,000 rpm) Top speed of 193 - 205 mph.
After years and years of defeat at the Grad Prix, and a desire to proclaim Germany’s superiority, Adolf Hitler commissioned top engineers at Auto Union (which later became Audi) and Mercedes-Benz to create a race car that finally bring victory to Germany. And they did just that - including a win at the prestigious 1939 French Grad Prix
With the onset of WWII, all racing in Europe was brought to a halt. Following Germany’s defeat, the Soviets swept through claiming their spoils of war - among them all 12 or so Type D’s. After they were taken, the cars were not seen again, and for years, it was thought they had been lost and all that remained were photos and a few videos.
It wasn’t until the 1970’s when avid car collector Paul Karassik went in search of the lost cars and found 2 remaining deep in a salt mine in the former Soviet Union. After full restoration, and evidence that the cars chassis (number 21) racing heritage included fist place finishes, the 1939 Auto Union Type D was set to hit the auction block (the second car, a 1938, was purchased by Audi) where it was expected to break a record and sell for close to $15 million. However, a week prior to the auction, the auction house and Audi, received a tip that the car was not all it was thought to be. The car was pulled from auction for further inquiry.
After further research, it was discovered that the car was not in fact chassis 21, but 19, thus it was not the winner of the French Grand Prix. Nonetheless, it was still a true Type D. At a recent auction, the car was expected to sell for between $8 and $12 Million, but bids never reached the reserve price and the car went unsold.
