Vintage News
Walter Röhrl Returns to Heidelberg Historic with Audi
By source: Audi AG, translation by Fourtitude
Jul 8, 2009, 21:02

After 25 years, legendary rally driver Walter Röhrl, with Christian Geistdörfer as co-driver, returns to the cockpit of a race-prepped Audi Sport quattro. The two motorsport legends will take part in the 15th Annual ADAC Historic Heidelberg Rally from July 9-11 piloting the Group B rally icon from Audi.

Audi is the main sponsor of the event and will host over 200 guests of the rally for a lunch at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm on Saturday July 11. The event will offer spectators and fans the opportunity to see the classics close-up. The Audi Tradition staff will also be selling accessories and items from the Audi, DKW, Horch, Wanderer, Auto Union and NSU brands in the Audi Collection store on the second floor of the forum.

In 1984, Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörferparticipated in the then ‘Heidelberg Castle Rally’ to test and develop the then-new 420-hp Audi Sport quattro rally car and won on the first try. For the 100th anniversary of the Audi brand, this weekend will mark a new edition of the race. The duo is a favorite in the race that will run between the Rhine, Neckar and Main with a field of Group B cars and former opponents from the 1980s. Walter Röhrl is representative of Porsche AG and Audi Tradition, and is an important participant in Audi’s centenary anniversary celebrations.

The classics department Audi Tradition will also field a 1971 Audi 100 Coupe S, a 1991 "Urquattro”, a 1975 NSU RO 80, and a 1971 NSU 1200 TT in the race.

Start and finish of the two daily stages will be the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, as it has been 15 years. The total distance will be 650 kilometers, through Neckar and Jagsttal by the Kraichgau and Zabergäu. Some sections follow the footsteps of the racing and rally events of the past. There are 18 stages to the event. Further information is available on the Internet at www.heidelberg-historic.de.

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