The more fortunate people can still remember the times when legend Walter Röhrl was still creamed with the latest racing technology. A legend that lives for youngsters is the former rally pilot, who, along with Fiat, Opel Lancia and Audi, has also won serious positions in the World Rally Championship and many other motorsports. This year, the German knight celebrated his 74th birthday, and he got a special surprise.
When he first won the World Rally Championship title in 1980, he briefly retired to help the Porsche development team. It didn’t take long, in May 1981, nearly 40 years ago, that he started again with navigator Christian Geistdoerfer, the newly developed turbocharged Porsche 924 Carrera GTS. With what he can drive again now.
On the morning of his birthday, he was surprised by the Porsche Museum and Roland Cosmaule, who was in charge of the original development of the car, so that Walter Röhrl could meet the previous race car again. Not only was the showdown a surprise, as the car was all ready for another crash, she was now able to race through the trees again at the age of forty, and the legend didn’t take the gas into the museum. Maven
As in the original, the GTS is completely set up by an entire team. Roland Kussmaul personally guided the start-up of the car and then took it to the first lap on the Porsche test circuit himself. After the GTS stood for nearly 40 years, it had to be carefully re-examined. It has generally been kept in good condition as it’s on display as a display piece at the Porsche Museum, but its engine hasn’t started running in years.
A total of 50 homogeneous GTS racing cars were built, until then it was the most expensive model developed by Porsche. In addition, nine prototypes were built, of which the Rohrl was the fifth race car. Its engine was 247 hp at first, but more and more power was taken out as the season progressed, hitting 271 hp as well.
They themselves were surprised at how good the 2.0-liter Porsche turbo engine was. There was no need to touch the internal components, and the cooling system and the KKK 26 turbo were in perfect condition. Spark plugs, pretensioners, and belts filled with oil and cooling water have been replaced, with the provision of brand new racing clutch, new brake discs and brake pads, and the brake fluid has also been changed.
In the end, he got the 255/55 R15 Pirelli tires, newly made but 1980s engraved, to make everything as safe as possible when legend gets the car. On the morning of his birthday, he got the chance to get behind the wheel of a Porsche again after 40 years and hit an adorable person on the trees with it. In a way this is how we want to celebrate over 70.
