The Unraced Projects during World War II is an interesting era. Especially in the early days of the war! While in Europe Grand Prix racing stopped abruptly after German invaded Poland. Organisations kept on organising races in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Argentine and even Great Britain. Prior the invasion, Mercedes and Auto Union were dominating the Grand Prix scene. Companies like Alfa Romeo and Maserati tried their best to break their dominance without luck. While the war was ongoing until early 1941, there were constructors working on their cars such as Alfa Romeo, Auto Union and Mercedes.
Alfa Romeo Tipo 512 (1941)
While World War II was ongoing; Alfa Romeo already started working on the successor for the 158, the Tipo 512. The work on the 512 started in early 1940, at that time there was a sense that Grand Prix racing would continue even the war was raging on. Wifredo Ricardo who previously penned the Tipo 162 designed the new challenger for Alfa Romeo. The car was one of the first mid-engined cars fitted with a flat V12 engine. The engine had a top of 225HP, while testing the engine only it reached 255HP.
Two chassis were produced in the early weeks of 1940, with plans to build more which for obviously reasons never happened. Perhaps the car was doomed from the beginning. During the first test, Attilio Marinoni crashed with the car and died. An additional note, this was with a edited Tipo 158 which was fitted with the near rear of the 512.
The 12th of September, when it became clear that this would be a long war the car was tested again. This time, it was complete 512. Consalvo Sanesi tested with the car. He was not happy with the handling of the car. Their other tester Carlo Pintacuda seemed to have had a similar opinion. However, he seemed to be more positive about the car’s future. After the war, there was a plan to redeploy the cars. However, Alfa Romeo decided to bring the 158 back on the track.
Auto Union Type E (1941/1942)
While Auto Union is a big name before the war it stayed a small company. Formed in the 1920s during the great depression when several German car manufacturers merged. The heroic stories of Berg Rosemeyer in the Type C or Tazio Nuvolari in the Type D are well known. However, things would change for the company. For the early 1940s, a new Formula was introduced for Grand Pix racing, the Voittures Formula. The biggest change was the use of 1,5litre engines. The story gets a twist here. Chief designer from Auto Union stated in 1982 that there was no Type E constructed. Was this the true story? No it was not!
Already in October 1945, so 37 years before, The Motor Magazine had published an article in theirs October 3rd issue. Sir Roy Fadden travelled just weeks after the war to Germany as a special technical adviser. Where he came in contact with Richard Bruhn. Who was a former Auto Union director. He told that a complete team was constructed. The car were hidden in a garage in a suburb of Chemnitz. Interestingly to mention is that two kind of E Types were in development. One with a front engine and one with a rear engine. While it seems the cars were tested, they have never been seen since.
Mercedes W165 Streamliner (1940/1941)
Mercedes like Auto Union were the dominating teams in the Grand Prix races. The proud of Nazi Germany back then. For the 1940 Tripoli Grand Prix Mercedes was to race with the Mercedes W165 streamliner. The race was scheduled as a voiturette event. It is not 100% known why they never raced with this car. It is even questionable of such a car was eventually build. The images that appear online about the W165 are most likely the M163.
