Auto Union DKW-Schnellaster
Series: Other models
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Auto Union – other models: the collective page for transporters outside the named series, from the DKW Schnellaster to the Munga, 896 to 1,986 cc, three to five cylinders
Auto Union AG was formed in 1932 in Chemnitz from the merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, and was re-established after the war in Ingolstadt before the Audi brand later emerged from it. This page gathers transporters outside the named series: the DKW Schnellaster, one of the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive vans, built from 1949 to 1962, the off-road DKW Munga, built from 1956 to 1968 as a military vehicle, and later utility versions of the Audi Avant. Model designations that include an output figure, such as 'TD 64KW', point to the turbodiesel engines of these later Avant versions.
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The register lists six versions with 896 to 1,986 cc of displacement across three to five cylinders, kerb weights from 1,120 to 1,309 kg and gross vehicle weights from 1,778 to 2,140 kg; one version is recorded with a length of 3,930 to 4,455 mm, and widths range from 1,480 to 1,970 mm.
With the Schnellaster, Auto Union took the light-van segment for trade and commerce in the 1950s, while the Munga served the German Bundeswehr as a rugged four-wheel-drive vehicle. The later Avant utility versions reflect the continuity of the estate-car concept that has accompanied the brand since its DKW years.
For a used Schnellaster, the condition of the self-supporting body and the two-stroke engine with its petroil lubrication matters most; for the Munga, the condition of the four-wheel-drive system and axles matters too. Parts for the two-stroke models are available through specialist DKW and Auto Union clubs, while parts for the later Avant versions can be sourced through the regular Audi parts trade.
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | Zweitakt-Ottomotoren:0, 7–0, 9 Liter(14, 7–23, 5 kW)Elektromotor:4, 8 kWcorrect |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 3930–4455correct |
|---|---|
| Width | 1550–1670correct |
| Wheelbase | 2500–3000correct |
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 4 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: [1]
Van in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.