Audi revives a model from the 1930s

Audi Tradition has brought back a blast from the past with the recreation of the Auto Union Lucca, which was said to be a technical innovation back in the 1930s.

The brand had the 2026 Lucca recreated by Crosthwaite & Gardiner based on historical photos and various other documents from the archives. After spending just over three years on its construction, the British restoration specialists completed the project in early 2026.

All of the 2026 Lucca's components have been specially handcrafted

All components are handcrafted especially for this model; in addition to the technical implementation, the production of the streamlined bodywork - such as the cockpit canopy and the tapered tail - was particularly labour-intensive.

But all this paid off: By the end of April 2026, the 2026 Lucca managed to achieve a drag coefficient of 0.43 in the Audi wind tunnel.

And speaking on the construction of the vehicle, Audi Tradition said that it attempted to recreate the car as authentically as possible but also took into consideration issues that cropped up with the 2026 Lucca's durability and efficiency. As such, Audi fitted it with the 16-cylinder engine (512bhp) from the Auto Union Type C, since it's visually indistinguishable from the Lucca's original.

Audi will unveil the 2026 Lucca in the aptly-named Italian city of Lucca

The 2026 Auto Union Lucca also features several modifications that were implemented for the Avus race in Berlin in May 1935, such as the ventilation system. Audi Tradition did this to reduce excessive thermal stress for the model.

Audi Tradition has said it will unveil the revived model for the first time in early May 2026 in, rather aptly, the Italian city of Lucca.