Audi TraditionGran Premio Nuvolari 2010

For many Germans, the Brenner Pass still symbolises the desire for mobility and freedom. This was certainly true when Germany was enjoying its “economic miracle” and cars such as these from the 1950s and 1960s were on the road. For this year’s Gran Premio Nuvolari, held from September 17 – 19, Audi Tradition entered no fewer than nine cars from this epoch. Never mind the rain, though it fell every single day: the crews in the Audi Tradition cars enjoyed every minute of the event. As a reward, they crossed the finishing line in glorious sunshine.

Once familiar, now famous
Audi Tradition’s entries were models that many people can still remember seeing on the road every day, and therefore an attractive contrast to the more exotic cars taking part. The field of more than 300 cars included five DKWs from the 1950s and four NSU models from the 1960s. On the twisting mountain roads of the Apennines, they demonstrated again why they were so well-known and popular.

From sea to sea
The event route led from the town of Mantua to the Italian Riviera, through Tuscany to Pisa and on to the Adriatic Sea in Rimini. From there, it returned through the Reggio Emilia and ended where it had begun, in the town where Tazio Nuvolari was born. In 1938 and 1939 the “Flying Mantuan” drove for Auto Union and won a number of Grand Prix races in the cars with the four-ring emblem. This year too, as a tribute to the greatest Italian racing driver of all time, Audi Tradition exhibited a 1939 Auto Union Type D Grand Prix racing car with twin-supercharger engine on the Piazza Sordello in Mantua.

Leading the way: the original quattro
Celebrating 30 years of the quattro: Luciano Viaro led the field of starters in an Audi original quattro. Several times winner of the Mille Miglia and the Gran Premio Nuvolari, Viaro started the event each day as a non-competitor, accompanied by his visually impaired co-driver Lorenzo Zannaro. Audi Tradition is supporting Viaro’s M.I.T.E. project, which has set itself the objective of making motorsport equally accessible to the visually impaired.

Participating vehicles:
Three DKW F 91s, a DKW F 93 convertible, a DKW Monza, an NSU 1000 Rennprinz, two NSU TTs and an NSU Wankel Spider.

Exhibited vehicles:
1939 Auto Union Type D racing car with twin-supercharger engine