Audi tracks down the last Horch

The last Horch built, found in the middle of Texas

Audi has been busy tracking down the last ever Horch, and has found it in the middle of nowhere in Texas.

It’s been looking likely for a while that now VW has taken control of Porsche it may decide to rebrand the VW Group as Auto Union. Auto Union was the root of Audi, and was formed in the ’30s when Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer joined forces to become Auto Union and pool their resources to cope with the depression (sound familiar?). Which might explain why Audi has been scouring the planet for rare cars from its Auto Union days.

The Horch bit of Auto Union was founded by ex-Mercedes engineer August Horch and the last Horch badged car was built in 1953 (from a pre-war chassis). But no one knew where it was. So Audi set their vintage car hunter Ralph Hornung on the case (now that does sound like an interesting job) and after much searching he located the last Horch in the middle of Texas.

Audi TV has put together a video of the hunt for the last Horch, which is worth the watch. And we wonder if VW/Audi are busy putting together a showcase of cars from the Auto Union days to use as a backdrop for the announcement that the VW Group is to become the Auto Union Group? Mind you, Ralph Hornung reckons it’ll take two years before the restoration work on the Horch is complete. But I’m sure if VW want to use it as a part of an Auto Union announcement they could hurry that along.

Makes sense.