Two-Stroke Time Capsule: 1958 Auto Union 1000 Shines at Lane Motor Museum

This award-winning 1958 Auto Union 1000 may be nearly 70 years old, but it looks brand new and reminds us that Audi has been building exquisite automobiles for a long time. 

Nashville, Tennessee may be best known for its vibrant music scene and hot chicken, but it also has a robust and venerable car culture. Marathon Motor Works produced the Marathon automobile in town from 1909 to 1914 and much of the old complex remains today as a museum. And less than 5 miles away is the Lane Motor Museum which features about 150 unique cars and motorcycles.

It was during a recent visit to the Lane Motor Museum that we spotted this beautiful 1958 Auto Union 1000. When this car was built “Dampf‐Kraft‐Wagen” or DKW was part of Auto Union. And DKW was known at the time for building reliable, well-built cars.

The 1958 Auto Union 1000 is special not just because it is beautiful but because it is simple and robust. The 980cc two-stroke engine has only 7 moving parts. It is good for 32 horsepower which is enough to pull this front-wheel drive coupe to a top speed north of 80 mph.

The power is controlled by a manual four-speed transmission that has a column-mounted shift lever. Also mounted on the column is the headlight dimmer switch. That is common today but back in 1958 many vehicles had the dimmer switch mounted on the floor.

When this car was new it had a list price of $1,675. That is equivalent to about $18,700 today. However, the owner, Jim Newborn, spent over $37,000 restoring it to its current condition. The car was featured in magazine articles and won many awards. Newborn generously donated the car to the museum in honor of his wife.

If you find yourself in the Nashville area, you should pay a visit to the Lane Motor Museum and the little Auto Union 1000. It is a delicious slice of Audi history that will be sure to put a smile on your face.