Wanderer Streamline Roadsters

Press Release

Weighing only 900 kilograms, the aluminium-bodies roadsters had 70-horsepower engines that enabled them to reach a top speed of 160 km/h. The two-litre, six-cylinder engine with its three carburettors was derived from a new family of engines designed for Wanderer in the early 1930s by Ferdinand Porsche. For car restorer Werner Zinke, who delivered these attractively styled cars punctually after two years of reconstruction work, this was "the biggest challenge my company has ever had to face!" Zinke explains: "Apart from the wheelbase and track, I had no other reliable data at all. I had to base my work almost entirely on historic photographs." After a series of computer calculations a wire model was first built, followed by a wooden buck; the sheet-metal panels were beaten by hand over leather sacks and passed through the ‘English rollers' to draw out and shape them. Werner Zinke expresses himself ‘very satisfied" with the results. "The first test runs under power went off better than we had dared to hope!". His voice sounds rather wistful as he says: "The second world war prevented Auto Union from making sports cars based on these prototypes." As a medium-term project, Audi Tradition plans to enter its own two cars for selected historic race events. Later, one of them is to have a permanent place in Audi's museum mobile in Ingolstadt. Head of Audi Tradition, Thomas Frank, has this to say: "This successful rebuild of the Wanderer Streamline Specials is a milestone in our task of illustrating Audi's heritage. We are particularly glad that these cars, which originally saw the light of day in Saxony, where AUDI AG also has its origins, have now been reconstructed in the same region of Germany." To commemorate the appearance of these replicas, Audi Tradition has commissioned a limited edition 1 : 43 scale model of the ‘Wanderer Streamline Special' bearing the start number 17. Made from a polyester resin, these models are notable for their excellent craftsmanship, fine photo-etched detail and a paint finish that matches the full-scale originals exactly. The model cars cost 125 Euro and can be ordered as Article No. M054 from Audi Tradition, on fax number +49 841/8992-567. The four rings of the Audi badge symbolise the brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, which were later combined under the umbrella of Auto Union. Auto Union and NSU, which merged in 1969, made many significant contributions towards the development of the car. AUDI AG was formed from Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1985. Together with the two traditional companies Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, Audi Tradition nurtures and presents the deep and diverse history of Audi. The Audi museum mobile at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt is open from Monday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Photo Caption:
Top: One of the beautiful Wanderer Streamline Roadsters at it´s first testdrive.