Christie’s Auto Union Type D Resolution

Christie’s yesterday released the following statement in conjunction with Audi Tradition resolving the outstanding issues surrounding the Type D Grand Prix car which was withdrawn from Christie’s auction at Rétromobile on February 17.

In a joint effort with Audi Tradition over the past three weeks, we have completed considerable additional research on the race history of the 1939 Auto Union D Type V12 Grand Prix Racing car originally scheduled for sale at Retromobile in Paris on February 17. Our joint research confirms that the car’s chassis is frame 19, and not 21, the chassis of the 1939 French Grand Prix winner.

Regarding racing history, Audi has confirmed that chassis 19 is a genuine 1939 D Type chassis and that it was first raced by Rudolf Hasse in the Eifelrennen on the 20th May 1939 at the Nürburgring, in which Hasse finished in 5th place. It was next raced at the 1939 French Grand Prix in the hands of legendary Auto Union pilot Hans Stuck, who brought the car home in 6th place, behind the company's 1st and 2nd finishers. Audi has kindly been able to support these race results with extensive documentation.

During our now completed verification process, no alteration has been made to the car itself which we believe to be the only Auto Union to which Grand Prix racing results can be attributed.

Christie's was delighted at the response and interest that the car received in the run up to and while on view at its highly successful Eu7.2m auction in Paris. Based on our now completed research, we are accepting sealed tender bids for a period of one week today and invite prospective bidders to contact Christie's London office directly to receive applications for this tender.

I was a little confused by the verbiage of the third paragraph so I contacted Rik Pike in Christie’s New York media office and he got Rupert Banner, head of the Motor Car department, to call me to explain just what Christie’s and Audi Tradition meant by “During our now completed verification process, no alteration has been made to the car itself….” The explanation is simple, and good to know. Basically, Rupert said, this is known as the best, most complete of all the surviving Auto Unions and they just wanted to let people know that nothing has been moved from, or to, this chassis. The car will go back to Crosthwaite and Gardner where it was restored to be re-stamped with the correct frame number.

The Audi Tradition documentation mentioned in the release goes with the car.

It’s still an incredibly cool car, impressively built and detailed with ingenious mechanical touches that make it a delight to examine. It has to make memorable sounds and be fantastic to watch (let alone drive) on the track. The change in race history is an intriguing value equation. A race winner (particularly the French GP winner) is as good as it gets, but Herman Muller doesn’t exactly strike a responsive chord and a race history with Hans Stuck (Senior) is terrific. I think they balance each other out, an evaluation which Christie’s – which hasn’t changed the estimated value – seems to share.

I hope Christie’s finds a buyer for this car so there’s at least a slight chance of seeing and hearing it on the track sometime soon.

Rick Carey