Auto Union
(1955 - 1961)
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Germany
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As early as 1934, Auto Union AG from Saxony founded the sales company "Auto Union Brazil Limitada" in Rio de Janeiro. However, the branch was never really able to gain a foothold and by the end of the Second World War it was already over again. After the war, Auto Union GmbH re-entered the Brazilian market in the same year as VW. This was at a time when South America was on the rise and the government had begun to develop its own national automotive industry. Auto Union took part in this by supporting VEMAG and, a little later, "Elektro-Industria Walita SA" from Sao Paolo. VEMAG eventually produced DKW models itself, which proved successful on the Brazilian market. A hoped-for deal in the armaments business failed to materialize because the American competition had too much influence... This is the first part of the report on Auto Union's South American experiment.
In 1958, the magazine 'hobby' subjected the two Auto Union Coupés with the one-liter two-stroke engine to a thorough test. Both the "Auto Union 1000 Coupé two-seater" with its Thunderbird look and the more conventional "Auto Union 1000 Coupé de Luxe" were convincing in the road tests. Although some wishes remained unfulfilled, especially in terms of handling, the new products from Auto Union DKW scored well overall. This report edits the original text from that time and supplements it with many archive photos and sales brochures from the period.
After Auto Union had acquired a stake in VEMAG, the latter became more and more independent and the DKWs increasingly Brazilian. Many years later, in 1965, the German Auto Union was taken over by Volkswagen and the competitor from its own company was no longer tolerated by VW do Brasil on the Brazilian market. This meant the end for Auto Union Brazil, which had been the undisputed number 3 on the market for years with its Brazilian DKWs.
In 1959, the range of sports cars on offer was still quite limited. The magazine 'hobby' counted around 30 models and the comparison fitted onto just a few magazine pages. The author Werner Oswald saw the reason for the comparatively small number of models on offer in the transition to self-supporting bodies and the need for rationalization. This report reproduces the original wording of the article at the time and shows the vehicles mentioned in over 170 archive photos as well as in many original sales brochures
Slowly and deliberately, Auto-Union continued to develop its mid-size class. The 1960 model year saw the introduction of a fully synchronized gearbox and a fashionable panoramic windscreen for the Coupé. One change was well received, the other less so. This article reproduces a test report from "Automobil Illustrierte" from 1960 and shows the Auto-Union 1000 S in historical photos.
When you first look at the Auto Union 1000 SP, you inevitably think of a daintier copy of the early Ford Thunderbird. But if you take a closer look, the German two-stroke sports coupé reveals many other mechanical peculiarities in addition to the front-wheel drive, which give the 1000 SP its very own character. In 1960, a pair of journalists investigated whether it was possible to warm up to it and why it was better to take off your good shoes before setting off. This article quotes an original test report and shows the Auto Union 1000 SP in extensive historical images and sales material.
From 1957 to 1965, Auto Union built the 1000 Sp sports car, initially only as a coupé, later also as a roadster. Around 6,400 vehicles, most of them coupés, were produced and equipped with the proven technology of the DKW/Auto Union mass-produced models. This vehicle report tells the story of the beautiful coupé, describes a vehicle built in 1962 in detail in words and pictures and provides further insights with sales brochures and press documents.
Auctioned vehicles of Auto Union
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Union 1000 SP Coupe 1961 Sold Coys Graz Sale (October 12, 2013) |
1000 SP Coupe | 1961 | Sold | Coys Graz Sale (October 12, 2013) | |
| Auto Union 1000 SP 1960 Sold RM/Sotheby's Auburn Fall (August 29, 2019) |
1000 SP | 1960 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Auburn Fall (August 29, 2019) | |
| Auto-Union AU 1000 S 1960 Conditional Sale Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Oktober-Versteigerung (October 20, 2018) |
AU 1000 S | 1960 | Conditional Sale | Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Oktober-Versteigerung (October 20, 2018) | |
| Auto Union 1000 SP Coupé 1959 Sold RM/Sotheby's Handle with Fun (May 5, 2021) |
1000 SP Coupé | 1959 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Handle with Fun (May 5, 2021) |
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