Test drive Audi Quattro and Walter Röhl: Lord, old man!
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Test drive Audi Quattro and Walter Röhl: Lord, old man!

Audi Quattro and Walter Rehl: Good Lord, old man!

Audi Rallye Quattro, Walter Roll, Col de Turini - three living legends

In a few months, the Audi Quattro will turn 40. On the eve of the anniversary, you can remember that on one of the previous days of his birth, the machine invited its most inventive pilot to where he achieved his greatest triumph.

Seen from the side, Rel and his navigator, Geistdörfer, stand calmly at the foot of the Turin Pass, as if they don't care about what lies ahead. The wind rages through the narrow valley, sharp as a knife, and the tests the two men face have been repeated dozens of times: dry asphalt, wet asphalt, ice, sleet, icy sleet, then snow to the top and back down again. this is in reverse order.

Rally Monte Carlo, 1984, first appearance of Walter Röhl in an Audi Quattro. The two-time world champion rides “with a lot of mistakes and unsatisfactory” - but only he claims so. For an outside observer, this assessment is in stark contrast to the sensational victory in the rally and can be explained by the former almost manic perfectionism of the pilot. Driving a Group B car on this route without error is like hand-drawing 100 white sheets to make a graph paper ball. Rehl would say he messed up the work if box 6953 on page 37 came out a little too long. God forbid two more crooked squares appear - then you would call yourself the biggest whore in the world.

If we introduce one such Walter Röhl from 1984, we can easily understand why he could not properly rejoice in his victory then. However, he has the opportunity to do so today when he is back at the Col de Turini in his Quattro A2. In 1980, the production model made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show and, with its dual transmission, revolutionized first the world of sports cars and, since 1981, the World Rally Championship. The A2 is an evolutionary version of the Rallye Quattro - with an aluminum cylinder head and Kevlar fenders to reduce weight, allowing entry into Group B. four and two, a permanent dual drivetrain, a strong two-axle connection and, above all, a yellow coupe body. red and white are the colors of the HB sponsor.

“The car has to be so powerful that people are afraid to approach it,” says Roll, smiling at the birthday boy Quattro. Some will point out that the anniversary has nothing to do with the victory in Monte Carlo, but such whining would be petty and boring. Because although the years spent together are not the best for both of them, in the light of our memories, Rel and Quattro will always be together, like Vineto and the Striking Hand. At the end of 1983, Audi employees came to the conclusion that it would be cheaper and more enjoyable to win races with Rel, rather than continue to lose to him. So they hired the two-time world champion and he stayed with them until the end of his career in 1987.

In order for Quattro and Rell to cross the Turin Pass again, an exchange of kind letters took place between Ingolstadt and Zuffenhausen. We can imagine their content something like this: taking into account the fact that since 1993, Mr. Röhl has been one of the faces of the brand. Porsche Could you still lend it to us for celebrations - now that we are, so to speak, a big, happy family? - ask from Ingolstadt. Of course, they meet from Zuffenhausen, and yes, I think we really are something of a family...

So, today, Rel in a Porsche overalls talks about the Audi Quattro. This car was the biggest test of his career. Because of him, he had to learn to fly again. The strong connection between the axles creates incredible grip, but the body is reluctant to take turns. This can be a major obstacle for Monte Carlo, whose route looks like a plate of spaghetti has fallen to the floor. Relh trains hard, drives a racing Audi through the Bavarian forests at night, seeks help from teammate Stig Blomkvist, crookedly learns to stop with his left foot (you guessed it, this is his judgment) and can now turn the Quattro correctly.

“Now I need ten minutes and I can do it again,” he says, inviting me to accompany him to the Rallye Quattro, which looks flimsy and cramped on the outside and cozy on the inside, like a transformer substation. “It's fun when you drive on a closed road and there's some ice,” smiles Roll, and it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. The racing Audi hums softly down the slope, and the road is covered in plenty of snow and ice. We are turning. Roll starts the stopwatch. Full throttle. The turbo gains momentum—a second, two—and the Quattro rushes forward like a hockey puck pointed at a door. Second, third gear. Röhl's feet on the pedals are faster than the player's hands, here "there is - there is not."

On the next "hairpin" the orange control lamp lights up because the oil pressure has dropped. At full throttle we go in a long straight line to the right. Suddenly, the mountain covers the road in icy mud. This will probably end badly. Something will be left on the ice - the right headlight, the right fender, the right passenger... The world champion simply yanks the steering wheel gently, and the Quattro continues to climb with a roar of flight, crossing the protruding section of the Col de Turini plateau. Roll up with side slides. Time - 2,20 minutes. The maximum speed is 135 km / h. Roll and Quattro are on top. Still.

Text: Sebastian Renz

Photo: Stefan Warter

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