1934-1938 Auto Union Cars Actual Races VHS Video

Description

As a car collector and race car
person I have always regarded the battle during the 1930's between Auto Union and Mercedes to not only have been one of the all time great rivalries but one of the times when the performance of these racing cars(called Silver Arrows) advanced the state of the art dramatically.  It is hard to imagine what it must have been like driving the Auto Union C with the supercharged 16 cylinder mid-engine putting out over 500 hp with a car that dry weighed no more than 750KG.  This was all the more amazing with the maximum torque coming on at slightly over 2000 RPM that would prompt wheel spin on the narrow 7" rear tires when accelerating even in third gear. Original black and white footage of many of the races is professionally presented showing not only actual racing that took place but also interaction of the drivers and the fans. Not only where the Auto Union race cars raced on road courses but they were entered in hill climbs where Hans Stuck is shown in the video and demonstrates why he was the champion in those event.  The video also features the drivers and especially the much adored Brend Rosmeyer driving not only the standard Auto Union C race car but also the stream liner version with the even more powerful supercharged 545 hp16 cylinder motor.  Unfortunately the video records and documents his attempt at another high speed record when after he made an initial run which the video shows, he crashed and died on the next run.  The video shows many race events in the several years covered and includes audio and commentary.  It lasts about 45 minutes and then there is a summary of how the Audi Quattro Rally Cars introduced many many years later continued the winning tradition of their Auto Union ancestors with their all conquering four wheel drive soon copied by all their competitors.  I purchased this video in 2006 after three Auto Union cars were displayed in 2006 at Donnington England in 2000.  Since the cover of the video notes that event is coming up, the video must have been made before then. It was produced under the MotorSport magazine logo.  I have not seen any unopened ones like this one for sale in the US in a while.