Hitler's racing car

A racing car commissioned by Adolf Hitler is expected to become the most expensive car ever sold at auction.

1939 Auto Union D-Type racing car.

The 1939 Auto Union D-Type, thought to be one of only two in existence, was created by Ferdinand Porsche after a personal request from Hitler.

The German dictator wanted the car as a propaganda tool to show off the technological superiority of the Third Reich.

The car, one of the fastest of its time, has 485 horse-power and a maximum speed of 186mph and is going to be auctioned by Christie's in February in Paris.

Almost all the D-Types were destroyed during the Second World War but this one was taken to Russia for its technology to be studied.

It was taken apart and the dissembled parts were discovered in the 1990s. The car has since been reassembled and is expected to reach a record price.

The current world record for a car at auction is held by a 1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Sports Coupe - sold for 5.5 million by Christie's in the late 1980s.

(source: ananova)