Auto Union 1000SP Roadster – DE 🇩🇪 (1957-1965)

·February 26, 1965

/ Eras / Auto Union Postwar / 1000

MODEL DETAILS

What: Auto Union 1000 SP Coupé
Era: Auto Union Postwar Automobiles
Manufacturer: Auto Union GmbH (West Germany)
Model Family: 1000
Market / Zone: West Germany; export markets
Model Years: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Production Span: 1958–1965
Number Produced: 1,640
Model / Generation Code(s):
Chassis / Matrix:

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Body Style(s): 2-door roadster; 2-seat convertible
Drivetrain Configuration: longitudinal front engine, front-wheel drive
Engine(s): 981 cc inline 3-cylinder, two-stroke, 74.0 × 76.0 mm, compression ratio 8.0:1
Engine Structure: ported two-stroke; cast iron head and block; Bing carburetor; water cooled
Transmission(s): 4-speed manual with freewheel; spiral bevel final drive (3.87)
Power Output: 41 kW (55 PS / 54 hp) @ 4,500 rpm
Torque: 47.9 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
Steering: rack and pinion
Brakes: hydraulic drum brakes; single braking circuit
Fuel Tank Capacity: 50.0 L (13.2 US gal / 11.0 Imp gal)
Wheelbase: 2,340 mm (92.5 in)
Front Track: 1,290 mm (50.8 in)
Rear Track: 1,351 mm (53.2 in)
Length: 4,140 mm (163.0 in)
Width: 1,422 mm (56.0 in)
Height: 1,335 mm (53.3 in)
Ground Clearance: 200 mm (7.9 in)
Turning Circle: 11.8 m (39 ft)
Kerb Weight: approx. 900 kg (approx. 1,984 lb)
Top Speed: approx. 132 km/h (82 mph)
0–100 km/h: approx. 24 seconds
Fuel Consumption (test): approx. 11.3 L/100 km

CHASSIS DETAILS

Construction: separate chassis with steel bodywork
Front Suspension: independent; lower wishbones; upper transverse semi-elliptic spring
Rear Suspension: dead axle; transverse semi-elliptic spring; telescopic dampers

OTHER DETAILS

Predecessor: DKW 3=6 Roadster
Successor: Audi Cabriolet
Platform Mates: Auto Union 1000; Auto Union 1000 Universal; Auto Union 1000 SP Coupé
Concept Cars:
Assembly Location(s): Düsseldorf; Ingolstadt
Designer(s): Josef Dienst with input from director William Werner
Homologations:

WHEEL / TIRE DETAILS

Wheel Diameter(s): 15 in
Tire Size(s): 155 × 15
Bolt Pattern:
Offset:

SUMMARY

The Auto Union 1000 SP was a two-seat sports coupé and roadster produced by German automaker Auto Union between 1958 and 1965. Distinguished by its tailfin styling reminiscent of the Ford Thunderbird, it represented one of the last pre-Audi models built under the Auto Union name.

DESIGN & POSITIONING

Introduced in 1961 as an open-top derivative of the SP Coupé, the 1000 SP Roadster served as the most lifestyle-oriented expression of the Auto Union 1000 platform. Unlike the 2+2 coupé, the roadster was a strict two-seater, eliminating the rear shelf seating in favor of a more focused cabin layout and folding soft-top roof.

The styling retained the dramatic American-influenced tailfins and low beltline of the coupé. With the roof lowered, the car’s proportions emphasized its jet-age aesthetic, reinforcing comparisons to contemporary U.S. sports and personal luxury cars.

ENGINEERING & PERFORMANCE

Mechanically, the Roadster shared its 981 cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine with the SP Coupé. Output remained 55 PS at 4,500 rpm, with peak torque of 47.9 Nm at 3,000 rpm. Performance figures were similar to the coupé, with a top speed of approximately 132 km/h.

As with other Auto Union two-stroke models, performance gains were achieved through cylinder porting and compression adjustments rather than valve timing. The four-speed manual transmission included the characteristic freewheel system, automatically disengaged when reverse gear was selected.

CHASSIS & DRIVING CHARACTER

The Roadster retained the separate chassis construction and front-wheel-drive layout of the 1000 series. Suspension architecture mirrored the coupé, with independent front suspension using lower wishbones and a transverse semi-elliptic spring, and a rear dead axle supported by a transverse spring and telescopic dampers.

The open body structure added modest weight and reduced torsional rigidity compared with the coupé, but the car remained relatively light. Steering was rack and pinion, and braking was provided by hydraulic drums in a single-circuit system.

PRODUCTION & MARKET IMPACT

The Roadster was produced in limited numbers between 1961 and 1965, with approximately 1,640 examples built. Its higher price and niche appeal made it rarer than the coupé variant.

Though never intended as a competition sports car, the 1000 SP Roadster became a distinctive status symbol in early-1960s West Germany. Today, it stands as one of the rarest and most collectible vehicles of the Auto Union two-stroke era and represents the final flourish of pre-Audi design before the company’s transition to four-stroke Audi models under Volkswagen ownership.

REFERENCES

PHOTO GALLERY