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MOTORING journalists and car enthusiasts from Bahrain and neighbouring states in the Gulf region travelled to Germany to help celebrate the centenary celebrations of Audi production.
Visitors were able to see just about every car that makes motor sport fans' hearts beat faster, from the 1934 Auto Union Type A to the current R15 Le Mans entry.
"This is Audi's centenary present to its fans in and around Ingolstadt. It's not an event that's likely to be repeated in the near future!" says Thomas Frank, head of Audi Tradition.
The recent celebration entitled '100 years of Audi on the Donauring' marked the brand's centenary in Ingolstadt. On the circuit in the old town, almost every vehicle that bears witness to Audi's historic racing successes was on view to the public.
More than 30,000 fans turned up, and they saw and heard 15 outstanding icons from Audi's motor-sport history. Audi Tradition had also invited other car manufacturers' classic car departments, owners of veteran motorcycles and members of the many Audi Clubs to attend. Club members parked their historic vehicles on the festival ground, giving visitors a view of a time that has long since passed.
The most unusual racing car, and one that was bound to fascinate the fans at '100 years of Audi at the Donauring' was surely the 1934 Auto Union Type A. It is the very first of the famous Auto Union 'Silver Arrow' racing cars, and the only one of this type still in existence.
The 16-cylinder racing car, owned by the Belgian Audi importer D«Ieteren, had to be rebuilt as an authentic replica. It was joined by the car that represents the final development stage of these Grand Prix designs from Zwickau, the Auto Union Type D with twin superchargers. This visit to the Donauring was the 12-cylinder car's first appearance in Germany since it was rebuilt.
The Auto Union Type D was driven to victory by Tazio Nuvolari in the Belgrade Grand Prix, the last such race to be held before the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939 H.P. MŸller won the French Grand Prix in this car.
Among the personalities present, was Walter Ršhrl, one of the greatest rally drivers of all time, and twice winner of the World Rally Championship. On the Donauring he drove a car that has become a legend: the Audi Sport quattro S1 "Pikes Peak" with which he won the US's most celebrated hillclimb in 1987, storming to the top in record time.
The following historic Audi competition cars were to be seen on the Donauring circuit in Ingolstadt on July 18: Auto Union Type A and Auto Union Type D (twin-supercharger) Grand Prix racing cars, Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO, Audi 200 quattro TransAm, Audi Rallye quattro A2, Audi Sport quattro S1, Audi Sport quattro S1 "Pikes Peak", Audi V8 quattro DTM (GTC), Audi R8R, Audi R8 with "crocodile" paintwork, Audi R10 TDI, Audi R15 TDI, Audi A4 STW, Audi R8 LMS and the 2007-season Audi A4 DTM.
