![]() ![]() The theme is carried over to the exterior trim, including the grille and wheel covers. Chrome accents highlight the speedometer, clock, fuel/temperature gauge, factory radio and the oversized black steering wheel. Comfortable, adjustable front bucket seats covered in vinyl mesh nicely with full carpeting. Indeed, driver and passenger are greeted with a tasteful and luxurious interior. I love the way it looks inside and out," he says. ![]() "You can cruise with traffic at 120 km/h, no problem. When his son found this cream-colored 1960 coupe in good original condition 10 years ago, Schlafli’s dream became a reality. Owner Schlafli, of Winterthur, Switzerland, was one of those who had dreamt about the car from the time the model first came out. Stickering at more than 14,000 Swiss francs in 1960 (more than $4,000 U.S.), the 1000 SP was a dream shared by many. Nevertheless, the car’s front transverse leaf-spring/lower A-arm, rear transverse leaf/solid-axle suspension makes the SP surprisingly nimble-certainly better than the T-Bird. Like the roadster that inspired it, the 1000 SP is meant to be a luxury tourer. Acceleration may be slow, but the upside is you can run at speed all day with no worries, the engine happily clattering along out front.Īnd speed is not the 1000 SP’s primary mission. Factory brochures list a 0-to-62-mph time of 19.5 seconds and a top speed of 87 mph, which seems about right for this 2090-pound car. Bring the 1000 SP to life, select the first of four forward gears on its column-mounted shifter and power goes to the front wheels. Yes, it may have been simple, but the engine is surprisingly smooth for a two-stroke. The engine’s reliability was played up by Auto Union in advertising: "Only seven moving parts!"-which included three pistons, three connecting rods and a crankshaft. Bored out to 1000 cc and fed by a two-barrel carburetor, it produced 55 hp. But while the car was praised for its modern looks, it was powered by an updated lump of a 1953 two-stroke derived from former partner DKW’s 896-cc three-cylinder. Widely praised, the 1000 SP gave Auto Union-whose cars were considered dowdy and behind the times-an image boost. The 1000 SP debuted as a coupe at the Frank-furt Motor Show in 1957. Dienst took the suggestion to heart, producing a sporty shape so attractive that Werner said the car must go into production. Upon his return Werner told Auto Union chief stylist Josef Dienst he should "go in that direction" with the styling of a proposed two-seater. Auto Union director William Werner had traveled to the United States the previous year and been captivated by the lines of Ford’s luxurious roadster. In 1956 the T-Bird was already a huge hit in America, and Europe was taking notice. The grille, headlights, front fenders, raised hood scoop, wraparound windshield, rear fenders and tail end are strongly reminiscent of the 1955-57 Ford Thunderbird. Take a look at Peter Schlafli’s 1960 1000 SP. "The sincerest form of flattery" is a generous view of imitation, and to a degree it applies to the Auto Union 1000 SP. ![]()
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