DKW Auto-Union Project: June 2024

After a successful exhibition at the August Horch Museum Zwickau, the “Streamlined – Automobile and Aerodynamics” special exhibit has moved to Audi Tradition Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt.

As early as 1910, astonishing ideas emerged for adapting motor vehicle body shapes to the air flow. The generally growing enthusiasm for aviation had an influence, as did the flight week in Reims in 1909, a major event that attracted worldwide attention. Wing and teardrop shapes became inspiration for technicians and inventors.

At that time, however, the direction of the air flow around the body did not serve to increase speed, but primarily to reduce the turbulence of road dirt from the generally unpaved roads.

In the 1920s, technicians and aircraft engineers recognized aerodynamics as a scientific topic for reducing drag and fuel consumption and improving the long-distance capability of automobiles. However, an effect on series production in automobile construction could only gradually be observed in the second half of the 1930s. In the meantime, other areas of traffic are also relying on aerodynamics and streamlining as arguments for progress and modern mobility. In the 1920s and 1930s, several design engineers set significant impulses in the field of automotive aerodynamics. In addition to Rumpler and Jaray, there are also, for example, Baron Reinhard von Koenig-Fachsenfeld, Emil Everling, Wunibald Kamm and Karl Schlör von Westhofen-Dirmstein.

However, it was anything but easy for her to achieve acceptance with her approaches. Their bodies, which were aerodynamically designed according to scientific findings, deviated too much from the then prevailing ideas of customers and manufacturers about the appearance of an automobile. But the rethinking began. New research and construction methods, such as wind tunnel research, contributed to this. In particular, racing should not be missing. As consistently as the research results were successfully implemented there, they were only slowly accepted by buyers when they were transferred to series vehicles. Unique and rare vehicles - also within the spectacular permanent exhibition - illustrate the pursuit of efficiency, sustainability and design in various facets.

And precisely this development, which was promoted by those important personalities of aerodynamic research in automobile construction up to the Second World War.

The special exhibition (originally) in the August Horch Museum in Zwickau and now in the Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt is dedicated to this. 13 large exhibits, 26 models and 6 experimental/media stations document this path, from striving for the ideal form to test objects and pseudo streamlines. In particular, racing should not be missing. As consistently as research results were successfully implemented there, when they were transferred to series production vehicles, they were only slowly accepted by buyers for the reasons mentioned. Unique and rare vehicles - also within the spectacular permanent exhibition - illustrate the combination of efficiency, sustainability and design in various facets.

In times of dwindling resources and the promotion of electromobility, the ideas and considerations of that time are more relevant than ever. As a special offer, a master bodybuilder regularly works live in the exhibition on the creation and completion of a streamlined shape.

The main exhibits:

Audi Jaray plastic model 1:1 scale 1923 (built in 2023 for the exhibition).

Audi UW Jaray streamlined car, 1934 (2012 recreation for the 'Ugly Duckling' advertising campaign).

Auto Union Type C, Streamline, 1937, (1999)

Adler 2.5 liter Type 10 "Autobahnwagen", 1939

Adler Trumpf "Racing Limousine", 1936/1938

Chrysler Airflow, 1934
https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2016/03/1934-chrysler-airflow-first-modern-car.html

DKW F1 Monoposto, 1931

Replica of the DKW F8 streamlined car, wooden frame model

The DKW coupe: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2023/11/visions-of-ghost.html

Replica of a 1938 Wanderer W25 endurance racer

1933 Horch 830 coupe body (Auto-Union works team)

Hanomag diesel record car, 1938, 2019
https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2015/01/hanomag-diesel-rekordwagen.html

Kamm K2 streamlined car, prototype 1940

Schlörwagen, replica body, scale 1:1 https://www.mobilewelten.eu/schl%C3%B6r-wagen/

Tatra 77, sedan, 1934.
https://tatrat600.blogspot.com/2022/04/1935-tatra-t77-autocar-review.html

Model steam locomotive BR01-1088, 2004

Etrich-Rumpler-Taube model, around 1987

Auto Union Porsche Type 52, model 1:4

Model of the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, 1930s (my photo).

The exhibition has moved to Audi-Tradition Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt from November 2023.
https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/photos/album/special-exhibition-windschnittig-2407

Audi Tradition Museum Mobile, Ingolstadt: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2017/06/audi-tradition-museum-ingolstadt.html

August Horch Museum, Zwickau: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2017/06/august-horch-museum-chemnitz.html

Fresh from the successful special exhibition on prewar aerodynamics and streamlining (which has moved to the Audi Tradition Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt), the August Horch Museum in Zwickau has opened a new exhibition of post-war streamlining - Perfect Form? The new exhibition is open now until 30 June 2024 and includes 20 full-scale vehicles and numerous models and other presentations.

The exhibition is described thus: "After the Second World War, automobile production slowly resumed in Germany. The aerodynamics of vehicles play a minor role in the first few years. Rather, the fenders and headlights, which were often attached separately in the 1930s, are now integrated into the body, and the transitions between the three body volumes are harmoniously rounded off. The entire outer body skin becomes smoother. This creates the pontoon shape that becomes the creed of the 1950s. With a few exceptions, body development remained based on this basic principle until the end of the 1960s. Even in the micro and small car segment, customers usually only accept the aerodynamically difficult notchback shape. The only exceptions are the lightweight vehicles of former aviation engineers/designers with streamlined bodies inspired by aircraft. The average drag coefficient of this body shape is 0.45 – 0.5. Aerodynamics only became increasingly important again as a result of the oil crisis in the 1970s and became an integral part of vehicle development. As an efficient means of reducing consumption, the topic of aerodynamics is gaining attention across Europe, including from state governments, some of which finance research programs. Numerous vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and VW are building their own wind tunnel centers in these years. Intensive research in the field of aerodynamics is also being carried out in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). However, the implementation in modern vehicles is not successful due to the existing economic problems.

At the same time, breathtaking concept vehicles from well-known design offices such as Pininfarina, Bertone and Italdesign / Giugiaro ensured that the wedge shape became the defining car fashion of the 1970s and 1980s. The wedge shape is also aerodynamically effective, with its flat front and high rear creating contact pressure between the vehicle and the road like a spoiler. This is particularly important in motorsport, as a race track consists not only of long straights, but also of tight and sometimes fast corners.

As part of the current transformation to electromobility, reducing air resistance is once again taking on an important role in vehicle development. The focus is on saving drive energy.

And it is precisely this development over the last 70 years that the follow-up special exhibition is dedicated to, regardless of the brand. Unique and rare vehicles illustrate the connection between shape and air resistance in various facets. Treat yourself to the rare and time-limited sights and insights."