More Auto - Union Records.

More Auto-Union Records.

It was originally intended to take the streamlined Auto-Union to Gyon for an

attack on the International Class C records for the mile and kilometre, held by Caracciola’s Merades-Benz. On the way to Gyon, however, Hans Stuck had a miraculous escape when his ‘own 12-cyl. Horch left the road and rolled down a steep embankment.

After some delay at Budapest, it was found that weather conditions at Gyon were too unreliable, so the whole team moved -south to warmer climes. They went to Italy, on the autostrada built between Florence and Viareggio. A particularly fast stretch at Lucca was chosen, and the electrical timing apparatus was set up. The mile was taken at 199.013

as against the 196.78 m.p.h. of the Mercedes-Benz. Three runs were made in all, with the following times : 18.29 secs., 18.1 secs., 18.08 secs., and the average of the two fastest worked out at 18.09 secs., or 199.013 m.p.h. The kilometre was also attempted, and a speed of 201.173 in,p,h. had been recorded when the timing apparatus developed a serious fault.

Details of the car given for verification purpose’s were that it had an engine of 16 cylinders and a cubic capacity of 4,953 c.c.

I understand that Stuck intends to try again for the kilometre record, and hopes to push it up Over the 200 m.p.h. mark.