This futuristic interpretation of a 1930s racer is entirely lovely

This isn’t just another racing car render. Well, OK, it is just another racing car render, but it’s a render that carries the weight of history on its shoulders.

A digital artist by the name of Burov Art has offered an update to the Auto Union racers of the 1930s, bringing the single seater monsters up to date with some natty Photoshopping.

The result? Something between an Ariel Atom and a dune buggy. We understand it’s a mid-rear engine design capable of taking a turbo’d four-cylinder or indeed, an electric powertrain.

Naturally, all of that is moot because it’s not real, nor official, nor intended as a precursor to anything that might exist in the realm of human endeavour. But as a few pictures of ‘what if’, you’ll admit it’s rather tantalising.

You see, in 1934, both Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union – the German giant that eventually evolved into present-day Audi – emerged onto the European racing scene and were quickly nicknamed the ‘Silver Arrows’.

While the Mercedes-Benz racers used front-engined designs, Auto Union stuck the engine behind the driver – just like today’s F1 grid, and the render above.

They also used V12 and V16 engines, with enough power to see drivers like Bernd Rosemeyer, Tazio Nuvolari and Hans Stuck reaching speeds of over 180mph with little safety equipment. In fact, in 1937 Rosemeyer’s Auto Union reached 237mph along the Avus straight in Berlin. 237mph…

So quite mad, then. Is this render mad enough to pay homage to those revolutionary single-seaters?

Pics courtesy of Burov Art