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(Tue 1 Jul 08) Race car collector and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason will drive a reconstruction of an extraordinary 1930s Grand Prix car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 11-13.
The car is a replica of a 1939 Auto Union D-Type, commissioned by Audi Tradition and built by Crosthwaite & Gardiner of East Sussex, with bodywork supplied by Roach Manufacturing of Hampshire. The original D-Type was developed in 1938 to meet new Grand Prix regulations (including a capacity limit of three litres), and for 1939 Auto Union added a second supercharger to the V12 engine, increasing maximum power from 420bhp to 485bhp. Driven by Tazio Nuvolari, among others, the modified D-Type contested only the second half of the 1939 season, and since no examples survived the Second World War Roach Manufacturing had only a handful of photos to work with in reconstructing the body (which was noticeably different from that of the original D-Type). Nevertheless, Keith Roach proudly describes the body as "one of our all-time masterpieces", and Audi Tradition is very happy too. "We are delighted that we now have this car in our collection," says its boss, Thomas Frank. "And where better to give it its first outing than in the UK? We believe that this gesture is a fitting tribute to the people whose unique craftsmanship has brought this extraordinary car back to life." The 1939 replica will be used for exhibition runs, replacing Audi Tradition's 1938 car which has so many original parts that it will now be kept in a museum to avoid potential future damage. Nick Mason is understandably delighted at being asked to give the new car its first run in public: "It's a huge honour, which I sincerely appreciate," he says. This is by no means the first Auto Union replica commissioned by Audi Tradition, but it will be the last. The number of reconstructions has reached such a level that there will now be plenty of opportunities to experience the sight, sound and smell of an Auto Union in action - far more, in fact, than could have been believed possible just a decade after the real cars competed. Other Audi news relating to Goodwood is that Frank Biela will be driving the A4 in which he won the 1996 British Touring Car Championship, while the R10 TDI with which Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen won this year's Le Mans 24 Hour race will be on display. Auto Union Feature Previous: Electronic Stability Control Next: Mobile Racehorse Trainer |
