images: Wikipedia
The original 1955 Thunderbird was not only handsome, but made quite an impression on Europeans. Although its influence can be seen to various degrees in some other cars, the Auto Union 1000 SP was a blatant crib. We’d be remiss in ending Thunderbird Week without acknowledging it. Imitations is the sincerest form of flattery, and this was the most sincere form of that.
The 1000 SP was first shown in 1957, as a coupe only, and went into producton in 1958. It was of course based on the Auto Union 1000, a higher-end version of the DKW 3=6 (full story here). Which of course means that under the skin, it was very un-Thunderbird-like: front wheel drive, a three-cylinder two-stroke engine with 981 cc and 55 hp, which gave it a top speed of some 140 km/h (85 mph). Just to carry it’s difference a bit further, its four-speed transmission was shifted on the column. The “Contrary Thunderbird”
Actually, its nick name in Germany was “Schmalspur Thunderbird” (“narrow track Thunderbird”). The 1000SP was built by the coachbuilder Bauer in Stuttgart, and some 5004 coupes were built through 1964. The Roadster came along in 1961, and 1640 of them were built.
This shot was posted some time back at the Cohort, by r0b0tr10t. It shows that the rear end strayed a bit from the original, but still very much influenced by it.
Obviously, the coupe’s roof was a major departure; Europeans were too claustrophobic for the T-Birds very private hard top.
Nice looking car. What would be the advantage of placing the radiator behind the engine?
I found this photo of one in the midst of a restoration in which the radiator’s position over the transaxle can be seen:
Since the engine is ahead of the front wheel centerline, it reduces front overhang substantially. Cars were more compact, and the giant front overhangs we have now weren’t even considered back then. The downside is that the engine was quite vulnerable in a front end collision.
Saab did the same thing.
Renault did that from the beginning of time(automotively speaking) in later times it provides a low frontal area giving much better visibility and aerodynamics.
Chuck,
I don’t know these cars all that well but in the photo it looks like the engine is behind the transmission (this is a FWD car, after all, and a few manufacturers built cars with the transmission ahead of the engine….SAAB) and maybe that seemed a good place to put a radiator. It also helps get a lower hood line, at least at the bumper end.
You must mean “in front of the transmission”, as that’s clearly where it is.
“Der Donnervogel” – I love it, my dad would be proud. As similar as it is to the T-bird, there are things about it that I really like, such as the wheels for example. A great looking car that in no way degrades the original, and in other ways only improves on it.
+1 It’s amazing how well the T-Bird’s styling translated to this car. I think the secret to that may be in the original ’55 T-Bird having been only about 10″ longer and 4″ wider than Auto Union’s homage. I just saw a ’55 a few weeks ago and was amazed by how small it was; I always forget.
All the stuff that makes this distinctively German is great, too – particularly the roof on the coupe model. It’d be so cool to take one of these to a cruise night in America… “hey man, your T-Bird sounds broken – and it’s got an AUDI emblem on the trunk!!”
Imagine trying to take one of these to a modern Audi dealer for a service!
Nice ! .
I’d love one of these in Coupe format .
-Nate
Sweet looking car. The influence is definitely there, right down to the grille.
According to this very website, another example of a Thunderbird-inspired European car would be Ireland’s short-lived Shamrock from 1960.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-1960-shamrock-the-pride-of-old-ireland/
Maybe it’s just the season but that’s the scariest car I’ve ever seen.
I was always fascinated with this one, just as the original 2-seat T-Bird. The 1000Sp is amazingly good-looking, but you-may-not-even-imagine how small, both inside and out (didn’t look as small back then, though, it was typical European family sedan sized).
And yes, behind the Iron Curtain people also fell in love with the original T-Bird (the car on the pic is fiberglass bodied, just as the Shamrock, a small series was built)
2 examples come to mind for me – the 1959 Sunbeam Alpine and the 1964 Ford Corsair
And here’s the Corsair – a saloon version.There was no coupe, but estates and convertibles were built by the conversion specialists.
But, the style may match but the name certainly does not. Thunderbird. Has there been a better name for car? Possibly Jaguar, but not many more.
Great call on the Corsair Roger.
P3 Taunus 17M. I always thought it was a mini Quicksilver, but Tom pointed out its similarity to the bulletbird a little while back.
The Skoda 450/Felicia also has some T-bird styling cues, but is not quite low and sleek enough to be a faithful replica.
Let’s try again to post the photo.
Ok, you will have to google the Skoda, lets try for a Simca Oceane
Great-looking little cars, truly a T-bird in 7/8 scale. I’m surprised Ford didn’t try to do something about the blatant crib though–today they’d sue to stop production faster than you can say “injunction”.
Is there a club or restoration information on the 1000Sp?