Walter Röhrl

“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” Walter Röhrl

The official title of “best rally driver of all time” underlines Walter Röhrl’s successful motorsport career. He was one of the few drivers who won world championships in rallying as well as motor racing. He was also victorious in every class or series – whether TransAm, IMSA, hill climbs (Pikes Peak) or in the German Touring Car Championship. In the 80s, he began assisting with the development of Porsche sports cars, starting with the Porsche 964 Carrera 4 with all-wheel drive. Walter Röhrl has also been active around the world as a Porsche brand ambassador since 1993.

“A garage without a Porsche 911 is nothing more than a bleak and barren hole!”

Walter Röhrl has been closely associated with his favourite brand Porsche for all of his life. The very first car he owned was a Porsche 356 B Coupé with 75 PS. He bought the car without an engine and scrimped and saved to come up with the money for the purchase price. Even when under contract as a works driver for Ford, Opel, Fiat, Lancia and Audi, Röhrl still cultivated his relationship with Porsche, racing in rallies in a private 911, for example. Porsche took on the two-time world champion as a works driver in 1981. Röhrl initially competed in the German Rally Championship in a Porsche 911 SC at the World Rally Championship race in San Remo.

“When accelerating, the tears of emotion have to run horizontally to your ears!”

Thanks to his driving talent and his ability to explain the handling of a car in a precise and simple way, Walter Röhrl has influenced the set-up and technology of Porsche road sports cars up to the current day. He embodies the Porsche philosophy of intelligent performance like no other person. The development of the super sports cars Porsche 959, Porsche Carrera GT and Porsche 918 Spyder also bears his signature.

“You can’t treat a car like a human being. A car needs love!”

Personal details

Date of Birth: March 7th 1947
Place of Birth: Regensburg (Germany)
Nationality: German
Residence: St. Englmar (Germany)
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 77 kg
Hobbies: Cycling, skiing
Instagram: @walter.roehrl
Facebook: @walterroehrlofficial