INGOLSTADT, Germany - A body made from aluminum, handcrafted leather trim and an extraordinary design – the vehicle sends Hubert Waltl, Head of Audi Toolmaking, into a rapture the instant he lays eyes on it: "This car is something really special."
The car in front of him is no ordinary car – it's the Auto Union Type C pedal car based on the famed Grand Prix racers, one of the “Silver Arrows,” that along with Mercedes-Benz dominated the sport in the 1930s.
AUDI AG has been winning lots of races with its current crop of diesel powered -cars but the company clearly has a soft spot for it’s fabled racing heritage. No other car manufacturer offers a pedal car built so elaborately and to such a high standard.
How did they justify building this elaborate toy? "We needed a highlight for our collection which conveys the brand message and, at the same time, is spectacular enough to find buyers," says Katharina Wicker, Head of Audi design – Lifestyle Articles.
The design of the pedal car mirrors the company's heritage right away. The Type C Grand Prix racing car is a clear reminder of the glory days of the 1936 Grand Prix season when the Auto Union Silver Arrow racked up a total of ten racing victories. Bolstering the case for building this toy that will appeal to “grown-up” fans too, they looked at sales of Type C models heritage models and saw that these are, “one of the best-selling,” in the range of Audi miniatures.
The car's execution called for a great deal of technical know-how and creativity. "The greatest challenge of all was transposing a historical model to a pedal car for children while remaining as faithful as possible to the original," reveals Achim Badstübner, director of the Munich design studio that created the first draft designs. Those responsible for the project eventually decided to build the pedal car on a scale of 1:2 to make it large enough to accommodate budding racing drivers up to 4’ 5” tall. So all you grown ups are going to have let the kids pedal.
The technical drawings originated in Audi's own tool shop. And in true keeping with the premise "designed by Audi, produced by Audi", special tools and jigs were designed for the pedal car's production in the Audi tool shop too. The pedal car is made up of over 900 individual parts. It features a hydraulic dual-disc brake and its speed is controlled via the seven-speed hub gear with back-pedaling brake function. Other technical highlights include an aluminum space frame and a body made from aluminum paneling, just like on the full-size Audi models, gives the car a lightweight design. The seats, framing and steering wheel have been upholstered in leather by a bag-maker, as in the Audi TT, while the elegant spoke wheels have been custom-made. And just like the racing car on which it is modeled, the steering wheel can be removed to make getting in and out easier.
The prototype of the pedal car was first unveiled to the public at the Paris Motor Show in autumn 2006. Visitors to the show loved it. "Lots of people even wanted to buy the exhibition model there and then." recalls Katharina Wicker.
This pedal car, which is limited to a run of 999 models was an absolute joy to work on for all involved in the project. "It took me straight back to my childhood days. And I wasn't the only one to be seized by that play instinct again," says a delighted Hubert Waltl, Head of Audi Toolmaking. And Achim Badstübner is equally thrilled about the project's success: "Everyone put their heart and soul into this pedal car. And that is something we are all very proud of."
If you want your favorite mini Nuvolari to have some racing history fun a pedal car can be ordered from the Audi importer for the specific country, who will also be able to provide details regarding the price.
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