The 6th edition of the Saalbach Classic will take place from June 20 to 23, 2018. Around 80 participants from all over Europe will be at the start of this very special classic event. Numerous British rarities from the 1920s and 1930s will be represented this time in exceptional quality. The combination of historic automobiles and the magnificent roads of the Alps is part of the DNA of the Saalbach Classic.
The selection of the route was once again characterized by the search for dreamlike scenery, lonely routes and the experience of driving in the paradise of the Alps - it is quite simply the motto of the Saalbach-Classic.
Pre-war class strongly represented
The major car brands of the time meet again in Saalbach in June. Just like back in the 1930s - it will be a legendary match for overall victory in the pre-war class of the Saalbach Classic 2018 - Bentley against Lagonda, Riley and Alvis. There will also be two overall winners at the sixth edition of the Saalbach Classic thanks to a separate classification for the classes up to and from 1945. There will also be numerous rarities from the 1950s and 1960s. Rally world champion Walter Röhrl as host and his team strive for the perfect mix every year - driving in the paradise of the Alps and culinary delights at a high level.
British rarities at the start in Saalbach
Their manufacturers are long gone. The resounding names have remained. The entry list for the Saalbach Classic 2018 so far shows the finest pre-war cars from all over Europe. In addition to Bentley, Lagonda, Riley and five Alvis, the pre-war starting list includes Lancia, BMW, Aston Martin and Ford. With their entry, the classic car enthusiasts are rewarding the efforts of the entire organizing team to offer a relaxed and informal classic rally with the Saalbach-Classic.
Some of the rarest and most beautiful examples from good old Britain will be at the start of the Saalbach-Classic 2018. Alvis was founded in Coventry in 1919. There are still 14,000 original design drawings in the museum in England today. To date, no fewer than four Alvis have been registered for Era 1 (up to 1935). Bentley only produced three of the 6 1/2-litre model in 1931, one of which will be competing in the Weekend Trophy in Saalbach. The 1932 Vauxhall Special is one of the great rarities and will be competing in Saalbach for the first time. The 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine produces 85 hp, a remarkable figure at the time. Lagonda was synonymous with elegance, high-quality technology, sporting success and expensive cars. Under the technical direction of a certain Walter O. Bentley, Lagonda experienced a final boom in the mid-1930s before the Second World War spelled the end. A 1930 Lagonda T2 Compressor owned by the Hawthorne family will be at the start of the Saalbach Classic. Mike Hawthorne became Formula 1 World Champion in a Ferrari in 1958.
Around 80 participants from all over Europe are expected to take part in the Saalbach Classic, with entries from five nations so far. A total of 660 rally kilometers over the Grossglockner, to East Tyrol, Carinthia and Salzburg are on the program between 20 and 23 June 2018. Around 35 special stages await the co-drivers' sharpened stopwatches.
The year of manufacture limit for the Saalbach Classic is 1972; pre-war vehicles are guaranteed to start!
Honorary Rally President Walter Röhrl sums up the history: "The cars of that time exude the enthusiasm and ingenuity of the engineers. Pure craftsmanship and the great solutions to technical problems still inspire today".
Further information can be found on the website.
