Sunday, June 21, 2015

Goodwood Festival of Speed: Audi Tradition with classic vehicles in Goodwood


Audi Press Release

Audi Tradition lines up on the grid at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England with two and four wheels: Nick Mason, the Pink Floyd drummer, is driving an Auto Union Type D twin-supercharger. Ralf Waldmann, former motorcycle world championship runner-up is riding an NSU Sportmax from 1955. An NSU Bullus from 1931 will also be in Goodwood. Around 200,000 spectators are expected at the Festival of Speed between June 26 and 28 – the annual highlight for classic motor-racing fans.

Firm favorite with the public Nick Mason is celebrating his ninth outing behind the wheel in Goodwood for Audi Tradition. “Every time it’s something really special again to have the privilege of driving such a car,” says the Pink Floyd drummer and car enthusiast. The Auto Union Type D twin-supercharger was the last development stage of the Auto Union Silver Arrow before the Second World War. In 1939, the 485-hp twelve-cylinder racing car won the French and Yugoslavian Grand Prix.

Audi Tradition is also lining up on the grid with two very special motorcycles and an outstanding racer: Ralf Waldmann won over 20 Grand Prix throughout his career and was two-time motorcycle world championship runner-up. Waldmann will be riding an NSU Sportmax from 1955 in Goodwood. The 250 cc motorcycle was designed for private racers after the Audi predecessor brand NSU had wound up its works team in 1954 while still reigning world champion. Hermann Paul Müller – Silver Arrow driver for Auto Union in the 1930s – won the motorcycle world championship on a Sportmax as a private racer in 1955.

Audi Tradition’s second motorcycle at the Festival of Speed is the very rare NSU SS 500 Supersport, also known as the NSU Bullus. The motorcycle earned its nickname after the top English racer Tom Bullus who won the German Grand Prix for NSU on the Nürburgring in 1930.

Photo credit: Audi Media