Legendary Opel Rally Stars at Bodensee Klassik

• Illustrious names: “Kulläng“ Kadett, Kadett GT/E, Commodore GS/E and more thrill rally spectators
• Top drivers: Racing ace Jockel Winkelhock and actor Florian Bartholomäi in rally fever
• 120 years of automobile production and racing with passion: From 1903 Opel racing car to current Insignia Grand Sport 4x4

Fascinating, varied and simply beautiful. This describes what the participants, fans and spectators at the 8th Bodensee Klassik were able to experience this weekend. Opel was there with an abundance of horsepower and VIP celebrities: the public admired rally stars from the 1970s and 1980s live in action, including legendary models such as the Opel Kadett B “Kulläng“, Commodore B GS/E, Kadett C GT/E from 1978, Ascona B 400, Corsa A Cup and Kadett E GSi. The cockpits were also manned by famous names: Opel brand ambassador and Le Mans winner Jockel Winkelhock completed the scenically unique rally legs through Vorarlberg, Tyrol, the Allgäu and Upper Swabia, as did TV star and actor Florian Bartholomäi. Not only the varied routes, but also the unpredictable weather repeatedly challenged man and machine and made the rally even more exciting.

Opel Vice President Communications, Harald Hamprecht also joined the storied field in the Bodensee Klassik tour in a 190 hp Commodore B GS/E from 1972. “This rally is an absolute must for classic car fans like me. Our legendary rally models can show how much performance and fun they still have in them today on the demanding Alpine foothills and Alpine routes,” said Hamprecht. Opel is currently celebrating 120 years of automobile production, 120 years of car racing and 50 years of Opel Motorsport.

Opel brand ambassador and race ace Jockel Winkelhock agreed: “Whenever I can, I grab a model from the big Opel rally treasure chest for classic car rallies. This time it was the Kadett C GT/E – a popular amateur sports car par excellence.” The racing driver mastered the two Bodensee legs over a total of 530 kilometres with flying colours in the fast 160hp series winner from the late 1970s.

Like Winkelhock, TV star Florian Bartholomäi is also a passionate Opel Insignia driver in his free time. But for the Bodensee Klassik, the 32-year-old changed cockpits and switched to the 1983 Corsa A Cup. “The performance it delivers from its 83hp engine is phenomenal. That really surprised me and showed me again how Opel offers driving fun for everyone, even in small cars,” was the actor‘s enthusiastic reaction to his Corsa A Cup drive.

This has been the Opel credo for 120 years, making pioneering technologies and lots of driving fun accessible to everyone. And so Opel took part in the 8th Bodensee Klassik not only with rally vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s. While these took to the road, in front of the Bregenz Festspielhaus visitors were able to take an up-close and personal look at an Opel racing car from 1903, a long-distance touring car version of the Manta A and an Opel Insignia Grand Sport 4x4 – and thus also share the racing and rally feeling á la Opel from days gone by until today.