DKW Monza [SEP] manufacturer
DKW Monza
The DKW Monza was a sports car built on an Auto Union DKW base. Named after the world-famous Italian Grand Prix circuit, the car set five world records in 1956.
After the series of wins by the DKW 3=6 'Sonderklasse' in European touring car racing and rallying in 1954 and 1955, two racing drivers started to develop a sporty body for the successful model. Günther Ahrens and Albrecht W. Mantzel designed a record-breaking car on the basis of the 3=6, incorporating an extremely lightweight
DKW Monza around the race track at Monza, Italy. With an average speed of , the team of drivers set five international records.
The glass-fiber reinforced polyester coupe body had a smaller aerodynamic resistance due to its rounded frontal area and low profile. This made it much faster than the standard DKW. Like all DKWs of those days, the Monza had a compact chassis, wide and high, with an average weight of about . This was less than the DKW 3=6 limousine (4-door. Sedan).