1957 Audi Munga

Long before the days of Quattro and rally success, Audi was involved with another experiment in four wheel drive: the Munga. This unusual vehicle was the product from the Auto Union days before the dawn of Audi in the mid 1960s. What makes this particular example attractive is the need for expensive and hard to find parts has been lessened as the original three cylinder, two stroke engine has been replaced by a workhorse 1600 Volkswagen engine from 1968.

This is a very cool 1957 Audi Munga. In 1957, Audi was manufactured under the name of Auto Union. It was not until 1965 that the company was renamed Audi. This car still retains its original Audi emblem with the Auto Union Logo in the center on the front of the hood. I have been a classic car enthusiast my entire life and I have owned many unique cars but I must say that this is one of the coolest, most unique cars that I have ever seen. No matter where I drive it people ask me what it is and give me thumbs up. It draws a crowd at every car show I have ever taken it to and draws a crowd just getting gas at the local gas station.

The body on this car is 100% solid and has no rust or rot anywhere and has no evidence of any previous rust or rot. It is painted a satin finish yellow with new vinyl interior. Head lights and turn signals are functional and this car can be driven anywhere. It has special order military tires with original wheels and hub caps. The soft top is easily removed with about 10 snaps and clips holding it in place. You can easily fit 2 people in the front seat and another two in the rear jump seat.

Originally, the Audi Munga was powered by a 3 cylinder, 2 stroke, water cooled engine. This particular Munga has been customized and the original engine was swapped out for a 1968 Volkswagen 1600 with 60 horsepower. The engine runs flawlessly and is mated with a 1968 Volkswagen 4 speed manual transmission that shifts through all the gears perfectly. It has no known mechanical defects. It has a new power winch on the front. Sitting on most 1968 Volkswagen running gear with the 1968 Volkswagen engine, this car is titled as a 1968 Volkswagen. THIS IS NOT A KIT CAR OR REMAKE, IT IS AN ACTUAL 1957 AUDI MUNGA.

Not sure what the value on something like this may be, but with the popularity of SUVs these days, there’s probably someone out there interested in it, either to preserve or use a unique beach runabout. Cool little piece and a breath of fresh air from your typical dune buggies and Wranglers, nonetheless.

-Paul