The Type B emerged from the same engineering programme at Auto Union's Horch works in Zwickau that had produced the Type A for 1934, with Ferdinand Porsche's team continuing to refine the P-Wagen concept under the 750 kg formula. The core architecture remained identical: supercharged V16 engine mounted behind the driver, fuel tank at the car's center, and the radical front-to-rear arrangement of radiator, driver, fuel tank, engine that gave the car its distinctive character.
Paul Jaray, the aerodynamicist best known for his work on streamlined airship and automobile bodies, designed the Type B's streamlined body, giving the car a more refined aerodynamic profile than its predecessor. The aerodynamic work built on wind tunnel testing conducted at the German Institute for Aerodynamics, which had been part of the development process from the beginning of the programme.
The 1935 engine expansion to five litres (from the original 4,360 cc displacement) brought increased output, with the Type B producing around 370 bhp — a substantial increase over the 295 PS of the original Type A. The supercharged V16 retained its character of generous low-speed torque, which Bernd Rosemeyer famously demonstrated by lapping the Nürburgring in a single gear.
The fundamental handling challenges of the Type A carried over to the Type B. The rear-heavy weight distribution caused pronounced oversteer, and the car remained difficult to drive at the limit. The Porsche-developed limited slip differential supplied by ZF was introduced at the end of the 1935 season to reduce the tendency for the inside rear wheel to spin violently when accelerating out of corners — a fix that addressed one of the most persistent complaints from drivers.
The 1935 season saw Auto Union field the Type B with an expanded driver lineup. Achille Varzi had joined the team and proved effective, winning the Tunis Grand Prix at Carthage and the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara, while also placing second at the Tripoli Grand Prix. Hans Stuck again contributed multiple wins and hillclimb success, taking victory at the Italian Grand Prix alongside second place at the German Grand Prix, and retained the European Mountain Championship.
Bernd Rosemeyer announced himself as a future star in 1935 with a victory at the Czech Grand Prix and podium finishes at the Eifelrennen and Coppa Acerbo, driving with a natural flair that seemed to neutralize the Type B's handling demands more than most of his contemporaries could manage.
The European Championship, resumed in 1935 after a hiatus, was ultimately won by Rudolf Caracciola in the rival Mercedes-Benz W25, but Auto Union accumulated a meaningful points haul and continued to push Mercedes hard. The 1935 season demonstrated that the Auto Union concept, despite its handling difficulties, was a genuine championship contender.
No Type B cars are known to exist today. Like the Type A, the Type B's components were progressively absorbed into repairs and subsequent car builds as the racing programme evolved through the Type C and Type D. The wartime dispersal of Auto Union assets, followed by the Soviet Army's seizure of cars hidden near Zwickau in 1945, accounted for whatever machinery survived the racing season. The sole known remaining pre-war Auto Union is a Type C.
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