Opel Debut for Rally Legend Irmscher Tuning
Walter Rohrl is indisputably one of the most preeminent drivers on the planet. A half-century ago, the native German competent driver finished his inaugural project as a professional motorist, having accepted a role with Irmscher a year prior.
To commemorate fifty years of glory, Irmscher is packing the modern-day Commodore with numerous performance extras.Marking fifty years of unmatched victory, the German tuner Irmscher is saluting Hans Rohrl’s path to success which initiated at the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally. Driving an Opel Commodore B GS/E modified by Irmscher, this renowned rally vehicle quickly became known as the ‘Commode’, receiving admiration and love from rally enthusiasts. In order to honor a half century of triumph, Irmscher has equipped the current Commodore with a variety of power upgrades.
This year, Walter Rohrl reunited with his sporty two-door and climbed into an upgraded Irmscher Opel. A man of fewer words, Rohrl referred to the experience as heartfelt and commented that it was as if he had been transported back in time.
Original images depict a youthful 26-year-old Rohrl standing next to the ‘Commodore’ with his accomplice, Jochen Burger. An action-packed snapshot also captures the Commodore ablaze across a nighttime stage, handling a flurry of snow as viewers watch on in awe. The Opel was ultimately unsuccessful but this represented only the starting point for Rohrl’s triumphant career.
Back in 1980, Rohrl gained his first victory in a championship, driving a Fiat 131 Abarth. It is asserted by many that he attained his greatest success two years later, as he was crowned champion of the world. For the 1982 season, he decided to go with an Opel Ascona 400 careering on rear wheel drive. Defeating Audi’s mightier all-wheel-drive racing cars, he managed to be the swiftest of them all and win again.
That would be his last time racing an Opel – the “Genius on Wheels” moved on to Lancia the following year, remaining there for two years before transferring to Audi.
Retiring from rallying in 1987, the last major win for Walter Rohrl came at the 1985 San Remo rally. With a total of 75 participations during his career, he became renowned for his skill, having amassed 494 points, 420 stage wins and 14 triumphs overall. As a result, numerous organisations have indeed declared him the best rally driver this world ever saw.
Nowadays, Rohrl is staying busy as a senior evaluator for Porsche. He can usually be found testing the abilities of an up-to-date automobile from the firm when he’s not putting a Porsche 911 Dakar through its paces. Moreover, he is further honing his skills while on the race track.
It is noteworthy that Rohrl was far from restricted to rallies and travelling roads, even if his adventures at Pikes Peak are more memorable than many of his other accomplishments. He was also really adept on the race-track, displaying tremendous grit and exceptional ability. A case in point would be the 1992 24 Hour of Nurburbring event. Surrounded by a thick mist and heavy rainfall, Rohrl astoundingly held his speed by predicting where the bends lay – this is something only a master driver can pull off.
