On the relativity of sportiness
02/23/2017
Admittedly, the colors are unusual, as you would expect a Ferrari to be a racy red, whereas an Auto Union / DKW was certainly often white or grey. For once it's the other way around. But which is the sportier one?
Most people would probably guess the Ferrari 328 GTS, after all a thoroughbred from Maranello and the dream of many car fans in the 1980s.
In comparison, the Auto Union (DKW) 1000 S looks downright well-behaved, but it actually had it thick as a fist behind the ears, or rather under the hood, because the two-stroke with three cylinders literally shook 57 SAE horsepower over the crankshaft to the gearbox. At 925 kg, these didn't have too much to do and so the fast DKW was just as suitable for circuit racing as it was for slalom or hill climbs. And quite a few people used the two-stroke in racing, after all, the 981 cm3 engine could be coaxed into producing a few more horsepower with reasonable effort. And in the 1000cc class, the DKW/AU was in good hands.
Seen in this light, the Ferrari 328 GTS must be seen as a boulevard cruiser. Hardly anyone would have used it in racing in the 1980s, as there were much more suitable and specialized machines for that. Most of these eight-cylinder sports cars were therefore driven as leisure vehicles with the top down to attract attention or to get a taste of the Thomas Magnum or Sonny Crockett lifestyle. Of course, the Ferrari was fast, but it was a different era. The DKW, however, was really sporty in its era and it proved this weekend after weekend ...
Of course, we will soon be publishing a detailed driving report on both cars ...
