Auto Union Type B 1935

[Pete05]

In 1932 German manufacturers Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer joined forces to form Auto Union. The main goal of this joint venture was to get a better position in the market and offer some real resistance to Mercedes-Benz. Although all four continued to produce cars under their own name, they shared technology and a four-ring badge on the radiator. When Mercedes-Benz announced their intent to enter Grand Prix racing in 1934, Auto Union would of course not stay behind, especially considering the huge support offered by the German government. With no real racing experience at hand this was easier said than done. They eventually employed the services of Dr. Ing.h.c. Ferdinand Porsche and Adolf Rosenberger, who were already in the process of building a new Grand Prix car.
Porsche had previously been employed by Austro Daimler and Mercedes-Benz for whom he designed the highly successful S-type racing car. Almost a decade earlier Rosenberger had successfully raced a mid-engined car and he convinced Porsche to follow that route for their new Grand Prix racer. They felt there was several major benefits of this layout. Firstly there would be considerably more weight on the rear axle, which should improve traction. Another advantage was that the propellor shaft running through the driver's compartment was no longer required. This meant that the driver could sit considerably lower in the car, lowering the centre of gravity and also wind resistance.
The location of the engine was just the first if many unconventional design elements of the Porsche/Auto union Grand Prix car. Even though Porsche was restricted to a maximum weight of 750 kg, he opted for a sixteen cylinder engine, keeping the mass down by using exotic alloys for the block and heads. The cylinders were angled at 45 degrees, leaving just enough space for the intake manifold, which fed from the rear of the engine by a huge Roots-Type Supercharger. Porsche opted for a simple and lightweight valvetrain consisting of a central camshaft, operating the valves to pushrods and rockers. In it's first version, displacing just under 4.4 litres, the V16 engine produced 295 BHP at just 4500 rpm.
Completed by a five-speed gearbox, the drivetrain was installed in an unusually conventional tubular ladder frame with four crossmember. The front crossmember carried the independent suspension, which was by two trailing links. The bottom ones were connected to each other with a torsion bar running through the crossmember. The top links sported friction dampers. The rear suspension was independent as well with swing axles and one radius arm on each side to control the braking and acceleration forces. There was a single transverse leaf spring and a friction damper on each side. Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes were fitted all round.
The Auto Union Type B featured a larger, more powerful version of the V16 engine and torsion bar springs at the rear in place of the semi-elliptic leaf spring.
At the Type B's debut, Hans Stuck excelled, but lost valuable time when a tyre burst at 290 km/h. He was certainly not the only driver with tyre problems and it became painstakingly clear that tyre technology was not able to cope with the increased power and speed at all. Luigi Fagioli eventually won the race with the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz W25, which featured a 3.7 litre straight eight engine with twin cams and four valves per cylinder. Throughout the season the talented drivers struggled to keep up with the W25s and only when all the Mercedes-Benz racers failed at the Italian GP could Stuck add Grand Prix victory to Auto Union's tally.

ENGINE

Configuration
45 degree V16

Location
Mid, longitudinally mounted

Construction
Aluminium block and heads

Displacement
4.95 litres / 302.1 cu in

Bore / Stroke
72.5 mm (2.9") / 75 mm (3")

Compression
9.0:1

Valvetrain
2 valves per cylinder, OHV

Fuel feed
2 x Solex Carburettors

Aspiration
Roots-Type Supercharger

Power
375 bhp / 280 kW @ 4700 rpm

Torque
648 Nm / 478 ft lbs @ 3000 rpm

DRIVETRAIN

Chassis
Aluminium body on chrome molybdenum tubular frame

Front suspension
Trailing links, torsion bars, friction dampers

Rear suspension
Swing axle, torsion bars, friction dampers

Steering
Worm and rocker

Brakes
Drums, all-round

Gearbox
5 speed manual

DIMENSIONS

Weight
750 kg / 1653.5 lbs

Length
3920 mm / 154.3"

Wheelbase
2885 mm / 113.6"

Track F/R
1420mm(55.9") / 1420mm(55.9")

http://www.grandprixhistory.org/auto_union1.htm

http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/c3.htm

http://www.stasher.us/the_silver_arrows.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Union_racing_car

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_113086/printArticle.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Arrows

http://8w.forix.com/au31-35.html

http://8w.forix.com/au-lineup.html

 

[StarLight]

Another historic Auto Union.
👍

 

[Pete05]

OP has been updated with background information, technical detail & links

 

[Azure Flare]

While I would have no real problems driving a turbo F1 car, this thing would scare the 🤬 out of me.

 

[Pete05]

While I would have no real problems driving a turbo F1 car, this thing would scare the 🤬 out of me.

I feel the same as you. At least if you got it wrong in a Turbo car from the 80's, you had some chance of survival.

The potential of the cars of this era, combined with no seatbelt, cross-ply tyres only a little wider than a man's shoe, drum brakes & a leather skull cap to protect the grey matter has me convinced the drivers from this era were the bravest to ever take a checkered flag.
Watching old footage or looking at old photos has me in absolute awe at the skill & bravery demonstrated by these guys. Respect