Auto Union Racer

More original art from David Story. The Auto Union grand prix cars of the 1930's are among my favorite racers of all time. The fact that it was a rear (or mid-engine) design well before that weight distribution approach became the established norm among racing machines makes it intriguing - but it's more than that. Juxtaposed with the alternative German marques of the era - the sleeker silver arrows Mercedes - the Auto Union's brutish, bulky look was consistent with its reported nature as a dangerous, difficult machine to drive. The talent at the wheel, though, was up to the task as the team won 25 races with the likes of Tazio Nuvolari, Bernd Rosemeyer, Ernst von Delius, Hans Stuck and Achille Varzi driving. Check out this music video tribute to Nuvolari with clips of him tossing around the Auto Union racer.
 
Both the Mercedes and Auto Union teams were nicknamed the "Silver Arrows," and the era saw great gains in automotive technology, both in terms of engine development and chassis design. There is a sense of romance about the passion for development but the motivation behind it had a dark side in the form of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Hitler used sports as a public relations platform to assert Germany's superiority over other nations and peoples. These cars fit into the tapestry of a dark cloud that would consume the developed world until the end of World War II in 1945. 
 
Enjoy this unique angle from David Story's perspective on a revered masterpiece of automotive and racing technology from a time fortunately gone with the wind.