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Great Rivalries: Auto Union vs Mercedes Benz
Great Rivalries: Auto Union vs Mercedes Benz
The heroic Germans fought equally hard in mountain-climb and speed-record venues.In 1933, German chancellor Adolf Hitler promised Mercedes-Benz the 500,000-reichsmark (approximately $3 million today) incentive offered to any German racing team willing to campaign a car in the new grand prix era beginning the following year. To the Führer's chagrin, Ferdinand Porsche stepped forward to request equal treatment. Porsche presented drawings of a supercharged V-16 engine ideal for propagandizing Germany's technical eminence and nominated the Auto Union combine as Mercedes-Benz's sparring partner. Hitler's resolution - an equal split of the sponsorship largesse - triggered the Age of Titans, one of the fiercest rivalries in motorsports history. Photo Gallery: Auto Union vs Mercedes Benz - Great Rivalries - Automobile Magazine Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us More... Automobile Magazine 08-27-2009 02:08 PM |
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