Audi Front

Convertible / Roadster 1931–1933 40–50 hp Petrol

The Audi Front was a pioneering 1931 two-seater built with front-wheel drive — one of the world's first front-driven cars to enter series production — establishing Audi as a technical innovator at the dawn of the modern automobile era.

Horsepower (2.2L engine)

30s

0–100 km/h

105km/h

Top Speed

1931

Year Introduced

Overview

The Audi Front was produced between 1931 and 1933 as Audi's bold technical statement — a front-wheel-drive two-seater sports car at a time when virtually every production automobile used rear-wheel drive. Audi's chief engineer, Hermann Lange, developed the Front around a transversely-mounted engine driving the front wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox — a layout that would later become universal in small European cars but was genuinely revolutionary in 1931. The Front was offered in two engine sizes: the original Type SS with a 1.9-litre inline-six producing 40 hp, and the more powerful Front 225 with a 2.2-litre unit developing 50 hp. Both versions used independent front suspension — itself an advanced feature for the period — and were available as open two-seat roadsters or sport cabriolets.

The name "Front" (from the German word for front, indicating the front-wheel-drive layout) communicated the car's technical identity directly and honestly. Audi marketed the Front as a sporting GT rather than a racing car, positioning it for wealthy enthusiasts who appreciated technical sophistication alongside open-air motoring pleasure. The Front appeared at major European motor shows and attracted significant press attention for its engineering — European automotive journalists of the era recognised the significance of combining front-wheel drive with independent suspension in a small, sporting body. Production numbers were very limited: approximately 150 examples across both versions, reflecting the car's niche pricing and the economic pressures of the early 1930s Great Depression.

Production of the Front ended in 1933, coinciding with the formation of Auto Union AG — the merger of Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer into a single corporate entity. Under Auto Union, the Audi name continued but the sporting identity of the Front gave way to a more mainstream saloon-car focus, while DKW developed its own range of front-wheel-drive models using the two-stroke engines for which DKW was known. The Front's technical legacy, however, was considerable: it demonstrated that front-wheel drive was viable in a sporting application, and its independent front suspension design influenced subsequent Audi engineering. Today, surviving Audi Front examples are held in major European automotive museums and are considered among the most significant pre-war German automobiles for their engineering innovation.

Front in Pictures

Visual references for exterior styling, cabin design, and key details. Images fall back gracefully on load error.

The 1931 Audi Front — Audi's revolutionary two-seater open-top car, one of the world's first front-wheel-drive automobiles to enter series production, engineered to demonstrate Audi's technical leadership in the early 1930s.

The Audi Front 225 — a larger-engined variant using the 2.2-litre engine developing 50 hp, offering improved performance while retaining the same pioneering front-wheel-drive architecture as the original Front model.

The Audi factory at Zwickau, Saxony — where the Front was engineered and built from 1931. The Zwickau plant was the technical heart of the Audi brand, producing some of the most innovative cars of the interwar period.

The four-ring Auto Union emblem — formed in 1932 when Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer merged. The Audi Front was one of the final cars produced under the Audi name before this merger, cementing its place in automotive history.

Key Specifications

Body: 2-seat open roadster and sport cabriolet — front-wheel drive, approx. 3,800 mm length
Engine Type SS: 1.9L inline-six, 40 hp | Engine Front 225: 2.2L inline-six, 50 hp | Single carburettor
Gearbox: 3-speed manual — front-mounted, driving front wheels via Tracta-type constant-velocity joints
0–100 km/h: approx. 30 s (Front 225) | Top speed: approx. 105 km/h — respectable for 1931 front-wheel-drive engineering
Suspension: Independent at front (transverse leaf spring) — advanced for 1931; live axle at rear with semi-elliptic springs
Brakes: Mechanical drum brakes all round — operated via rod linkage, requiring regular adjustment for even braking balance
Kerb weight: approx. 920 kg (Front 225) | Wheelbase: 2,950 mm — compact proportions for a 2-seat sports car
Production: 1931–1933 | Units built: approx. 150 total | Status: museum-grade pre-war rarity

Variant Comparison

Variant	Engine	Power	Drive	Best For
Front Type SS (1.9L)	1.9L inline-6	40 hp	FWD	The entry-level variant for collectors — the 1.9L Type SS is the more original specification, though the performance difference relative to the 225 is modest; choose this if the smaller engine is historically documented in a specific example
Front 225 (2.2L)	2.2L inline-6	50 hp	FWD	The definitive specification — the Front 225 with its 2.2L engine and 50 hp offers the most complete driving experience of the Front range, and is the version that best represents Audi's ambitions for the model
Front Sport Cabriolet	2.2L inline-6	50 hp	FWD	The most desirable collector variant — the Sport Cabriolet body style with the 225 engine combines the best mechanical specification with the most elegant coachwork, making it the highest-value and most sought-after configuration

Competitor Snapshot

Model	Strength	Compromise
Citroën Traction Avant (1934)	The Citroën Traction Avant (1934) brought front-wheel drive, unitary construction, and independent suspension to a practical saloon in mass production — technically surpassing the Front in completeness and commercial accessibility, with 760,000+ units making it far more influential	The Traction Avant arrived three years after the Audi Front — Audi was there first in front-wheel-drive production, and the Front's sporting two-seat character was more focused than the Citroën's practical saloon application
DKW F1 (1931)	The DKW F1 (1931), also a front-wheel-drive car from within the Auto Union family, was simpler and cheaper — using a two-cylinder two-stroke engine and a smaller, lighter body that made it accessible to a broader range of buyers	The DKW F1's two-stroke engine was noisier, less refined, and less powerful than the Audi Front's inline-six; the Front offered a significantly more premium driving experience and a sporting character the economy-oriented DKW could not match
Adler Trumpf (1932)	The Adler Trumpf (1932) was a well-engineered front-wheel-drive saloon from a respected German manufacturer — offering practical four-door body styles and similar technology to the Front at a competitive price in the early 1930s market	The Adler Trumpf was a conventional saloon rather than a sporting roadster — it lacked the Front's visual drama and collector appeal, and Adler's subsequent acquisition by Daimler-Benz means the brand has no continuity, reducing its historical standing

Cost-of-Ownership Estimator (Azerbaijan)

Annual distance (km)Fuel consumption (L/100km)Fuel price ($/L)Annual service budget ($)Annual insurance ($)Annual tires ($)

Annual fuel use: 65 litres
Annual fuel cost: $42
Total yearly estimate: $12242
Monthly average: $1020

The Audi Front's mechanical components — engine, gearbox, suspension — are unique to this model with essentially no parts commonality to any other vehicle; restoration requires specialist knowledge of pre-war Audi engineering and access to pattern manufacturers or original factory drawings.
The front-wheel-drive layout uses constant-velocity joints of a period design that are exceptionally difficult to source or replicate; inspection of CV joint condition is the highest priority mechanical assessment on any surviving Front.
Given its status as one of approximately 150 examples ever built, any Audi Front offered outside a recognised museum collection should be treated with the highest level of scepticism — provenance documentation, chassis number verification, and expert authentication are non-negotiable before any purchase consideration.

Maintenance & Service in Azerbaijan

Front constant-velocity joint inspection annually — the period CV joints on the Front use a Tracta-type design requiring specialist knowledge to assess; play or roughness in the front drivetrain indicates imminent failure that is extremely difficult to remedy.
Engine lubrication with pre-war specification monograde mineral oil — modern detergent oils attack the non-hardened bearing surfaces and gasket materials of the Front's inline-six; use only monograde mineral oil conforming to SAE 30 specification.
Fuel system cleaning annually — the carburettor and fuel lines on a vehicle of this age require annual cleaning with an appropriate solvent to remove gum deposits from aged petrol; modern ethanol-blended fuel degrades period rubber lines rapidly.
Chassis inspection for metal fatigue — the Front's pressed-steel ladder chassis is susceptible to cracks at high-stress points such as engine mount brackets and gearbox crossmember; specialist structural assessment every five years is recommended.
Electrical system maintenance with 6-volt positive-earth expertise — the Front's electrical system requires pre-war electrical specialist knowledge for any diagnosis or repair; conventional modern mechanics should not attempt diagnosis without period-appropriate equipment.

Used Front Buying Checklist

Expert authentication and provenance verification — with approximately 150 examples ever produced, a purported Audi Front requires factory records, chassis plate verification, and ideally documentation in the Audi Heritage archives before any purchase assessment begins.
Front drivetrain assessment — the key mechanical concern is the condition of the period constant-velocity joints; any play, vibration, or clunking from the front drivetrain represents a major restoration challenge on a car with essentially no replacement parts available.
Engine cold-start and warm-up assessment — the inline-six should start promptly from cold and settle to a smooth idle within two minutes; excessive smoke, oil pressure irregularities, or overheating from cold start reveal the most important mechanical intelligence.
Body integrity inspection — the Front's open bodywork in cabriolet or roadster form is prone to significant frame distortion over nine decades; any twist in the body that prevents doors from closing correctly indicates major structural work ahead.
Documentation completeness review — verify that the car's current documentation matches the chassis number, engine number, and any period factory records available; discrepancies in documentation on a car of this historical importance require expert resolution before proceeding.
Insurance and storage implications — an Audi Front requires specialist historic vehicle insurance, climate-controlled storage, and connection with a pre-war vehicle specialist before any acquisition; these infrastructure costs are substantial and ongoing.

Front FAQ — Azerbaijan Buyers

Q: What makes the Audi Front historically significant?

The Audi Front is historically significant as one of the world's first front-wheel-drive cars to enter series production — predating the more famous Citroën Traction Avant (1934) by three years. Audi developed a complete front-wheel-drive system including constant-velocity joints and independent front suspension in a sporting two-seat body, demonstrating a level of engineering ambition that was genuinely rare in 1931. The car established that front-wheel drive could be applied to sporting vehicles — not just economy cars — and its engineering influenced subsequent front-drive developments across the European industry. Combined with Audi's later quattro all-wheel-drive revolution of the 1980s, the Front represents the beginning of a continuous thread of drivetrain innovation that defines Audi's technical character.

Q: Why did Audi stop producing the Front after only two years?

The Audi Front's brief production run from 1931 to 1933 was primarily the result of the economic pressures of the Great Depression — a period during which luxury and sporting car sales collapsed across Europe — combined with the structural changes resulting from the Auto Union merger of 1932. When Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer merged to form Auto Union AG, the new corporate entity rationalised its model ranges and manufacturing operations. The sporting two-seat Front, with its complex and expensive front-wheel-drive engineering, was discontinued in favour of a more conventional and commercially viable product strategy. Within Auto Union, DKW took over front-wheel-drive development for the mass market using simpler and cheaper two-stroke technology.

Q: Is the Audi Front related to the modern Audi quattro system?

While both the Audi Front and the quattro system represent Audi's commitment to drivetrain innovation, they are not directly technically related. The Front used front-wheel drive — power to the front axle only — while the quattro system introduced in 1980 sends power to all four wheels simultaneously. The connection is philosophical rather than mechanical: both systems demonstrate Audi's willingness to invest in unconventional drivetrain technology when the engineering argument supports it. The Front proved that front-wheel drive was viable in 1931; the quattro proved that permanent all-wheel drive was transformative in 1980. Both decisions required significant engineering investment at a time when competitors were conservative, and both paid off in engineering credibility and brand reputation.

Q: Is an Audi Front available for purchase anywhere?

An Audi Front appearing on the open market for sale is an extraordinarily rare event — perhaps once or twice per decade at specialist pre-war German vehicle auctions in Germany, the Netherlands, or France. When examples do appear, they typically command prices in the range of €200,000 to €400,000 or more depending on condition, provenance, and body style. The most complete and documented examples are held in European automotive museums, including the Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt. For Azerbaijani buyers, the practicality of acquiring, importing, maintaining, and insuring an Audi Front is essentially zero without dedicated European specialist infrastructure — the car belongs in a museum context.

Q: How does the Audi Front compare to the Citroën Traction Avant?

The Audi Front predates the Citroën Traction Avant by three years and technically achieved front-wheel drive in a sporting context before Citroën brought the technology to mass market production. The Citroën, launched in 1934, was a revolutionary car in its own right — with a unitary body, front-wheel drive, and independent front suspension in a practical saloon body available at a relatively accessible price. The Traction Avant's commercial success and massive production volumes (approximately 760,000 units by 1957) meant that it defined front-wheel drive for European buyers, while the Audi Front remained a pre-war curiosity known only to specialists. In engineering terms, both were pioneers; in cultural impact, Citroën's achievement far overshadows Audi's earlier breakthrough.

Should You Buy the Audi Front?

The Audi Front is a museum-grade automobile of world historical importance — not a purchase decision for any living person outside the narrow world of pre-war automotive preservation specialists.

The Audi Front occupies a unique position in automotive history as one of the world's first production front-wheel-drive cars, and its significance to Audi's engineering heritage is enormous. For Azerbaijani automotive enthusiasts, the correct way to engage with the Front is through automotive history books, museum visits (particularly the Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt), and an appreciation of what it represents: evidence that Audi was innovating at the highest level in 1931, decades before the brand became the global luxury powerhouse it is today. If you are fascinated by Audi's engineering heritage, the quattro, the R8 road car, and the current Audi RS range carry that spirit forward in cars you can actually drive and experience today.