The unusual hill climb for cars and motorcycles from the low-lying hangar through numerous bends up to the runway of the former NATO airfield and current Triwo test site in Pferdsfeld/Hunsrück was held for the fourth time on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
Almost exactly 100 starters of all model years and makes, from an Indian Daytona Racer 750 from 1925 to an Alpine A 110 S from 2023, were entered for the first Pista & Piloti event of 2025. A very broad spectrum of vehicle labels was on offer. The mountain event in the Hunsrück is always good for absolute exotics and rarities. Last year, the newly built Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale was the absolute star. This year, two British exotics caught the eye.
One of them was a Crossley Regis 6 Special built in 1934, which was extremely rare even at pre-war events. Crossley was founded in 1904 and produced passenger cars until 1937. Even before the start of the Second World War and until its end, the company produced almost exclusively military vehicles. After 1945, Crossley was only involved in the construction of buses - such as the typical London double-deckers - before the brand was taken over by bus manufacturer Associated Equipment Comp. in 1948. This in turn was absorbed into the British Leyland Group in 1958.
The Gordon Keeble GK1, which appeared in Pferdsfeld, was built in 1964 and is therefore exactly 30 years younger than the Crossley. The brand's short history began back in 1959. John Gordon, one of the founders of the long-defunct Peerless brand, which sold over 300 units of the Peerless GT (a coupé with a GRP body and the engine from the Triumph TR3) from 1957 to 1960, left the company in 1959. In the same year, he was contacted by engineer Jim Keeble about converting a Peerless GT from a TR3 engine to a V8 unit from the Corvette. The two hit it off immediately. They quickly came up with the idea of building an amply motorized touring sports car and the Gordon Keeble company was founded.
In the same year, a chassis made of square tubes with a de Dion rear axle and four disc brakes was created. This was immediately shipped to Bertone in Italy. However, it was not Franco Scaglioni who designed the coupé, initially called the Gordon GT, but the then 21-year-old nobody Giorgio Giugiaro. He created the first of many of his automotive highlights at Bertone. The car made its successful international debut at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show.
However, the project did not get off the ground at first due to a lack of funds. Production did not begin until the fall of 1964. Gordon had long since left the company, whose fortunes were now controlled by industrialist George Wansbrough. Instead of steel bodies from Bertone, hand-made plastic bodies were used in England. Right from the start, there were problems with the steering manufacturer's delivery reliability, which ultimately could not be resolved. After only 91 units had been built, the end came just one year later. A further nine examples are said to have been built from spare parts until 1971, so that it can be assumed that 100 were built.
Away from British automotive history and onto the sporting part of the track. A practice run was followed by a set run for everyone, which then had to be repeated as accurately as possible in two scoring runs. In contrast to conventional hill climbs, there was of course no return, but the drivers were able to line up again directly at the start.
With a deviation of 0.199 seconds, Ingo Wimmer took the overall victory with his 1988 Lancia Integrale. He was followed by Frank Däschler in the 1975 BMW 1502 Alpina with a difference of 0.228 seconds. Max Burger completed the podium with a GT40 replica from 1986 and a difference of 0.259 seconds.
Lucas Übel won the two-wheeler category with a 1990 Herkules Prima 5S moped, 0.700 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
As usual, the juniors (up to the age of 20) were also allowed to take to the track in a separate classification. Of the total of eleven starters, Leander Mund with a 1969 Alfa Romeo Guilia Super was ahead by 0.852 seconds.
The next Pista & Piloti Gran Premio Alfa Romeo will take place from August 30 to 31, 2025. Further information can be found on the event website.
