Skoda celebrates 120 years of motorsport in Salzburg
Skoda celebrates 120 years of motorsport in Salzburg | 07/07/2021
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Historic rally vehicles in the group shop window
120 years of rally successes “made in Mladá Boleslav”. That’s something to celebrate, Skoda thought. And so not only did historical, Austrian Skoda rally vehicles end up in the large shop window of the Porsche Holding in Salzburg, rally driver Jan Kopecký also tested five legendary racing models in a video that is well worth seeing – from the L&K FC to the current ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo.
Historic rally vehicles in the group shop window
120 years of rally successes “made in Mladá Boleslav”. That’s something to celebrate, Skoda thought. And so not only did historical, Austrian Skoda rally vehicles end up in the large shop window of the Porsche Holding in Salzburg, rally driver Jan Kopecký also tested five legendary racing models in a video that is well worth seeing – from the L&K FC to the current ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo.
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From now until the end of August there is a new attraction for rally fans in Salzburg: three rally vehicles from Austrian ownership are closed in the group shop window and in the entrance area of Porsche Holding Salzburg at Vogelweiderstrasse 75 on the occasion of Skoda’s 120th anniversary of racing until the end of August marvel at. Among other things, a 130 RS, which made numerous missions in the late 70s / early 80s. With the 130 RS, driver Wilhelm Purkowitzer was among other things national champion in skijoring, won several class wins in the Austrian rallycup and ranked 8th overall at the European championship in the 1980s.
In addition to the 130 RS, an Octavia Rallye TDI (2002) and a Fabia Rallye TDI (2004) will also be on display. The 190 hp OCTAVIA was used in races in the Austrian State Rally Championship in 2002 and 2003 and achieved numerous top placings. The 210 hp FABIA RS was also used successfully in Austrian rallies from 2004 to 2006.
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Another highlight of the celebration: this video in which rally driver Jan Kopecký tests five legendary racing models – from the L&K FC to the current ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo:
A look back
The history of Skoda itself is closely linked to its start in racing: even if it was the single-track one first. At the end of 1895, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement founded their company that would later become Skoda Auto. In the following year, the young company was already producing five different bicycle models, and from 1899 the range of motorcycles expanded – and with these the proud motorsport tradition of vehicles from Mladá Boleslav began 120 years ago: On June 29, 1901, factory driver Narcis Podsední? Ek finished in the saddle of an L&K Motorcycles the most demanding race of the time – the 1,196-kilometer race from Paris to Berlin.
In rally sport, on the other hand, Skoda was able to show up often, especially in Monte Carlo. Around 85 years ago, on February 2, 1936, Zden? K Pohl / JaroslavHausman took second place in the class up to 1500 cm3 in the cockpit of the Skoda Popular Sport roadster model. In the decades that followed, Skoda achieved many a motorsport milestone. Two of them are celebrating a milestone in 2021: 60 years ago the Finnish duo Esko Keinänen / Rainer Eklund won the class up to 1300 cm3 with the Skoda Octavia TS at the “Monte”. A success that ŠKODA vehicles were able to confirm in 1962 and 1963. A series of four class wins in a row began again 30 years ago when Pavel Sibera / Petr Gross won the classification for vehicles up to 2.0 liters displacement and a driven axle at the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time in 1991 with the Skoda Favorit 136 L hatchback model. They were able to repeat this triumph from 1992 to 1994.
But the 130 RS is truly unforgettable. In the 1970s and 80s it was known as the “Porsche of the East” and made its rally debut in 1975. The approximately four meter long coupé weighed only 720 kg. The roof, hood and outer door skins were made of light metal, while the fenders and engine hood were made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (GRP). A cage made of steel tubes protected the driver and front passenger. In the rear of the ŠKODA 130 RS, there was a water-cooled four-cylinder with a displacement of 1.3 liters and an OHV valve drive; around 140 PS (103 kW) of power was sufficient for a top speed of up to 220 km / h, depending on the ratio. The technical finesse included the Weber twin carburetors and the dry sump lubrication. The crankcase was cast from aluminum.
The sensational coup at the Col de Turini came in January 1977: Skoda won the Monte Carlo Rally in the class up to 1300 cm3 with the 130 RS of the Václav Blahna / Lubislav Hlávka team. Milan Zapadlo / Ji? Í Motal finished second with the same vehicle.
But the 130 RS was also to be expected on the racetrack: In 1981, Skoda won the brand title of the European Touring Car Championship with it.
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