Hitler's car, designed by Porsche, set to break records at auction

[mjshira]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/12/04/hitler_auto_union/index.html

thought you guys might be interested. I have always admired these early 'supercars'.

if this car gets the money it is expected to, it will really be a record breaking auction.

[EarlyPorsche]

Good looking car

[mjshira]

should be interesting to see what it brings.

[ZAMIRZ]

Hitler-mobile for sale - Bring your wallet

[kycarguy 935]

If Im not mistaken I helped push that car in Monterey one year.

[Shuie]

185mph in 1939. Thats just insane.

[autobonrun]

I didn't realize Audi was originally Auto Union.

So is that what the first two letters of Audi stand for: Auto Union? If so what does the D and I stand for?

[Laneco]

AUDI = Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt.

angela

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by Laneco
AUDI = Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt.

angela

Thanks for the info. Learn something new everyday.

[jorian]

No seatbelts - Back then it was "preferable to be thrown clear." Gotta love those crazy Germans.

[DarrylD]

AUDI doesn't stand for anything. It's the Latin translation of the German name 'Horch'. The founder August Horch left the company after five years, but still wanted to manufacture cars. Since the original 'Horch' company was still there, he called his new company Audi, the Latin form of his last name. In English it is: "hark!".

Audi wasn't originally Auto Union either. On 29th June, 1932 Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer to form the Auto Union. The current Audi four-ring logo is the Auto Union logo. Auto Union became a major supplier of automobiles to the German armed forces. Civilian production was suspended after March 1940.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Auto Union was a racing collaboration of 4 manufacturers:

Audi
Horch
DKW
Wanderer

Hence, the 4 interlocking rings.

"Auto Union GP Race and Record Cars", by Peter Vann, MBI publishers.

[jwetering]

Originally posted by autobonrun
Thanks for the info. Learn something new everyday.

Indeed...I've learned not to believe everything I read on the internet

Nice car though. A bargain at $12M. I was in NYC a few weeks ago and wandered into Christies Auction house, right next to Rockerfeller Plaza. They were previewing late 20th century art including this "painting" done by Warhol, which is referred to as "Orange Marilyn":



A few days later this 1 foot by 1.5 foot artwork sold for 17 million dollars !?!?! And to think I was close enough to this painting to smell the whiskey and cigarette smoke a few days earlier!

So, which would you rather have? Hitler's Auto Union Grand Prix car built by Ferdinand Porsche or a silkscreened picture of Marilyn Monroe painted over by a flamboyant egomaniac. UUmmm let me put it this way - you can't go 189 miles per hour with a painting!

[2002M3Drew]

Originally posted by DarrylD
AUDI doesn't stand for anything. It's the Latin translation of the German name 'Horch'.

My favorite urban legend, misguiden acronym is, "Fornication Under Consent (of) King." If I had a nickle for everry time someone proudly proclaimed at a cocktail party that this is where the F word came from...

[gulf908]

Darryl,

You have PM.

Cheers,
Dennis.

[autobonrun]

So I did a little reading. There's a bit of truth in all the posts.

The original Audi was a latin translation of the founders name. This was the early Audi company

The current day Audi was formed from the Auto Union collaboration and established in Ingolstadt just as earlier stated by Laneco and Steve.

So if we're talking about the modern day company (as we are), it originated from Auto Union as described in the CNN article. At least that's my interpretation of this writeup. Pretty good actually, and since it's an official history by Audi AG they should know.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/art-four-rings-1.htm

[jim911]

Have you seen the movie of Hans Stuck's father setting a speed record with that car?

[Quicksilver]

Originally posted by jim911
Have you seen the movie of Hans Stuck's father setting a speed record with that car?

Give us a link!

(Wonder if it would compare with Hans Stuck's lap of the Ring in the M3GTR?)