Elferspot raffle – San Remo Weekender Walter Röhrl

Anyone who likes Porsche knows Walter Röhrl. The two-time rally world champion has been a Porsche brand ambassador since 1993 and embodies the Zuffenhausen values – constant pursuit of perfection and an enormous obsession with detail – like no other. Walter Röhrl was never satisfied with mediocrity. His insatiable drive to get the best out of himself and his car was the foundation of his success. The love affair between Röhrl and Porsche, which is still going strong, was initially somewhat dogged by bad luck. Nevertheless, the 1981 San Remo Rally manifested Röhrl’s affection for Zuffenhausen sports cars. This special episode with a Porsche 911 SC even served as inspiration for a Walter Röhrl bag – the San Remo Weekender “WR77”.

The 1981 San Remo Rally in a Porsche 911 SC – “The bitterest retirement” in Röhrl’s life

Walter Röhrl was actually supposed to compete in the 1981 World Rally Championship for Mercedes-Benz. But a few weeks before the Rally Monte-Carlo, the Daimler board of management put a stop to the project. Walter Röhrl and co-driver Christian Geistdörfer were left without a cockpit. And this is where Porsche stepped in. In a Porsche 924 Carrera GTS, the duo took part in six rounds of the German Rally Championship and won four of them.

Röhrl won the 6 Hours of Silverstone in the Sports Car World Championship that year in a Porsche 935. He was also successful at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 924 Carrera GTP, winning his class and finishing seventh overall. Nevertheless, another story dominates Röhrl’s memories of 1981 – the San Remo Rally in October. Röhrl competed in a Porsche 911 SC, which had been completed at short notice, in order to convince Porsche to take part in the World Rally Championship with a victory. The German duo had already been successful there the previous year in a Fiat Abarth 131.

That was the bitterest failure in my life. […] It was the end of my dream of perhaps accompanying Porsche as a rally driver for the rest of my life.

Walter Röhrl

Things looked promising for Röhrl and Geistdörfer on the first day. After the stages on asphalt, the pair were in the lead in the 911 SC. Although the all-wheel drive Audi Quattro overtook the duo on the following gravel stages, Röhrl still thought he had a good chance despite being almost three minutes behind. But fate had other plans. Lying in second place, Röhrl’s Porsche 911 SC suffered driveshaft damage – the end of all hopes of overall victory. What a pity: to this day, Röhrl says of the white SC that it was the best rally Porsche he was ever allowed to drive.

Despite the bitter defeat, San Remo 1981 manifested Röhrl’s relationship with Porsche

Even though Röhrl, who was voted the best rally driver of all time, was saddened by this defeat for a long time, it was clear after San Remo at the latest that Porsche had a firm place in his heart. His first car was a Porsche 356, motivated by his older brother who died in an accident far too early, so it is no wonder that he joined the Zuffenhausen-based company as a test driver and brand ambassador after his racing career ended. Today, countless Porsche drivers feel his meticulousness and perfection behind the wheel of their cars. Porsche 911 GT3, Carrera GT, 911 R… Walter Röhrl was involved with so many cars’ development, gave feedback and gave his final approval to the set-up.

Inspired and tested by Walter Röhrl – San Remo Weekender “WR77”

A memento of Röhrl’s personal milestone called San Remo 1981 is now available in the form of the “WR77” Walter Röhrl San Remo Weekender, limited to 777 pieces. The Walter Röhrl bag is adorned with Röhrl’s favorite rally 911, the Porsche 911 SC in the iconic Eminence design and some of the most beautiful stages of the rally in northern Italy. Of course, Walter Röhrl’s signature is also a must on this special bag.

In the Elferspot raffle, you now have the chance to win this weekender travel bag worth 279 euros. You’ll be on the road in style, whether you’re at the racetrack, on a weekend vacation or doing sports. It combines functionality, timeless design and the finest materials. At the same time, it has been approved by Walter Röhrl himself – just like Porsche’s best cars of the recent past.

A piece of motorsport history for every day – win the Walter Röhrl San Remo Weekender now

We are celebrating the combination of motorsport history and modern design with an exclusive competition. Win one of 777 San Remo Weekender “WR 77” Walter Röhrl bags and become part of this unique history. All you have to do is answer the competition question correctly, register using the registration form and become part of the Elferspot family. In addition to the chance to win, registered Elferspot users can also take advantage of numerous other benefits, such as unlimited magazine access or our search agent. The closing date for entries is January 31, 2025, 6 pm CET.

We wish all participants the best of luck. The winner will be informed by e-mail. If you don’t want to wait for your luck to run out, you can also purchase one of the coveted bags directly from the Elferspot store.

© cover picture: Porsche AG

San Remo Weekender “WR 77” Walter Röhrl

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