A quirky 1956 DKW Schnellaster Kastenwagen is being offered for auction by Classic Car Auctions at the CCA June Sale on 2 June 2018 at the Warwickshire Event Centre near Leamington Spa.
Very rarely seen on today’s roads, the characterful commercial vehicle is one of only 3727 vans and pickups built by the Auto Union, which went on to become Audi, and has led a well-travelled life around the globe.
The “Rapid Transporter”, capable of achieving a maximum speed of 69km/h, was a pioneer of one-box front-wheel engineering in its day. What it lacked in speed it offered in space, with an unparalleled cargo area for a van of its size, as well as a flat loading floor only 40cm off the ground, on top of a generous weight-carrying capacity.
This particular right-hand-drive model began its life in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and then travelled to South Africa before being imported into the UK in 2017. When first registered in the UK, the Schnellaster had only 17,000 miles on the clock.
Today, it has undergone a cosmetic refurbishment but has retained many original parts, apart from the original pine wooden floor which has been replaced with a “Rhino” floor. Presented in a delightful shade of light blue with a grey vinyl interior, the Schnellaster Kastenwagen F89 van will be offered at auction with a sale estimate of £12,000 to £15,000.
Nigel Gough, classic car specialist, Classic Car Auctions, said, “I doubt many people have seen one of these in their time! This van has so much charm and character, as well as a fascinating past, and it’s a brilliant find given how few are left today.” 
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