Video Post: Porsche and Walter Rohrl at Targa Tasmania. Leg 1

Plus a little behinds the scenes about the rally master Mr Rohrl and the Porsche 911 SC that he drove here 30 years ago.

Video Post: The incomparable Walter Röhrl

This video of the incomparable Walter Röhrl has been making the internet rounds lately, I've seen it on a few blogs, and I couldn't resist sharing. The clip shows pretty much what we already know: Walter Röhrl is the best driver living today. He's just turned 63, his birthday was this past Sunday, and well, what else is there to say? Not much. Sometimes it's best to let the video do the talking.



The video, by the way, is available online at Gelee-deluxe.com. It's available in PAL only, so we're out of luck here in the USA, but it has over 50 minutes of on-board footage from the ADAC Köln-Ahrweiler Rally 2004. The Köln-Ahrweiler Rally, for those who don't know, takes place at the Nurburgring and the circuit is run in reverse, plus there are added stages that veer off the beaten path. This is a natural sort of environment for our pilot, and he excels as you would image he would. The car is a 1971 Porsche 911 ST, a model designed for racing and sold from 1970 to 1971. Power was rated at 266hp from the factory, but with an 8,000rpm rev limit and just under 2200lbs total weight, you can be sure the car is plenty quick. But enough from me...on to the entertainment!



_WRS

Video Post: Audi Turbo Insanity

So I was over on oneighturbo.com and was reminded that I do in fact like Audis. I just don't like a lot of the more modern ones, but back in the 80's, man did they have it right. Is there a better sound than a huge horsepower, high-boost turbo 5-cylinder ripping along at 8,000 RPM? Probably not.

Case in point: The 100 yearsof Audi at the Donauring video. It reminded me of two things. One, Walter Röhrl is probably top three, if not the best driver alive, two, how can you not be impressed with the old Ur Quattro and the Trans Am racers of the 80's. Man. I get chills just thinking about it. I was thirdly reminded of a video I favoritie'd over on youtube years ago, and go back and watch occasionally just because it's awesome. It doesn't matter how many times you see Walter Röhrl sliding the short wheelbase Sport Quattro through the curves, just inches from the lunatic Group B fans who are spilling into the road, (1:20 in) it reminds you of what skill it takes to be a real race car driver.



No traction control. No ABS. No sequential transmissions. None of the driver aids upon which everyone is so reliant on these days. There is also no cheesy dance music, just pure unadulterated angry Audi bliss. By the way, I happen to know why the Audi 5-cylinder sounds so incredible. Thanks to the notes which the Audi straight five produces, it's essentially the same exact sound that you get from playing a heavy power chord on an electric guitar with the 3rd added in. To give you an idea of what the hell I'm talking about, check out this song called Avon by Queens of the Stone Age. Listen to the guitar tone on the main chord progression which starts at 27 seconds in.



If there was a song equivalent to an Ur Quattro going flat out at Portugal in the 1985, Avon is it. It's got the heavy riff with the aggressive, but musical chords. It has the explosive drum track, with the heavy snare hits are equal to the anti-lag popping off at every shift and change in throttle position. Loud, in your face, sounding like it might take your head off, but ultimately seducing you with the harmony.

Where was I? Oh yeah...how I actually do love Audi cars. The other favorite is the IMSA Audi 90 GTO. It was basically the engine from the S1 Quattro rally car, making even more power, something stupid-crazy like 720 or so, in a wide, wide, insanely wide Audi 90 silhouette. (Tube frame chassis though) Speedhunters did a really solid write-up on this car back in May. Worth reading, as I say... You want pure unadulterated insanity? Check out the in-car clip with Hurley Haywood behind the wheel of the slightly less powerful, (510hp) but similar Audi 200 in 1988:



And one of the GTO in 2008...



...and another of the Audi 200 from 1988, which is probably the best of the bunch. I mean Radar Love? Does it get any better than that, or more 80's excess? And the Audi Trans Am cars, much like the rally cars, were certainly excessive. The spiritual heirs to the Group 5 Porsche 935's, or perhaps the 917/30.



That's so awesome I think I might go buy one just because...forget about project Scirocco Madness, I'm doing an Audi 90 Quattro project.

Hmm....maybe an Audi 5-cylinder Scirocco shelled AWD insanity machine? No...better yet the 2.5 from the Mk5 Rabbit, turbo, built internals...maybe FWD to start and then AWD later on down the road. Now where's that winning lottery ticket? Robert, you think we can start on this once the Bus is done? =)

_WRS