When motorsport history rolls through the production line: the AvD-Röhrl-Klassik visits H&R

Historic Porsches, the unmistakable sound of air-cooled engines and one of the biggest names in rallying: the 5th AvD-Röhrl-Klassik will once again turn the Sauerland into a venue for lovers of classic sports cars and living motorsport history in early September. This year, one stage took the field of participants to an unusual location – right through the heart of H&R’s production facilities.

From September 2nd to 5th 2026, this long-established event will cover around 750 kilometres through the Sauerland, Wittgenstein and Hessen. More than 170 historic Porsches will take to the route. The field will be led by car number 1 – and it’s a prominent driver at the wheel: Walter Röhrl himself will lead the rally in a historic Porsche 911.

A rally that brings history to the road

The AvD-Röhrl-Klassik is far more than just a classic car tour. Its route combines challenging stretches with special locations, incorporating company premises, town centres, landmarks and extraordinary venues into the event.
The result is a rolling museum that spans several days – though one that never stands still. The cars are not displayed behind barriers but can be experienced exactly where they belong: on the road.
From the early Porsche 356 to the Porsche 993, the last air-cooled model in the classic 911 series, the line-up traces several decades of Porsche history.
One of these stories led straight to H&R this year.

More than 170 classic cars right in the heart of H&R’s production facilities

For the participants, the stage on the H&R premises took an extraordinary turn. Instead of simply driving past the production area, the route led straight through one of the production halls – right to the very place where H&R produces its anti-roll bars.
Where modern production facilities, steel processing and precision suspension technology usually dominate the scene in day-to-day operations, historic Porsches took centre stage for a moment.
One after another, more than 170 vehicles rolled through the hall. Decades of motoring history came face to face with modern suspension production – a setting that is not an everyday occurrence, even at an event such as the Röhrl-Klassik.
And the visit wasn’t limited to simply driving through.
A special stage awaited the teams on the H&R premises. Drivers and co-drivers had to demonstrate precision and teamwork here before they could continue their journey to the next stage.
At the subsequent checkpoint, the participants received the mandatory stamp for their boarding pass. Finally, a small token of appreciation from the H&R team accompanied them as a memento of this special stopover on the remaining kilometres of the rally.

Starting number 1: Walter Röhrl in the lead

The arrival of the first cars alone made for a special moment. At the head of the field: Walter Röhrl.
The World Rally Champion is one of the most influential figures in international motorsport.
At the fifth edition of the event named after him, he is once again taking to the start line alongside his long-standing co-driver, Christian Geistdörfer.
When Röhrl drives through a production hall in a historic Porsche 911, followed by more than 170 classic cars, an ordinary working day is transformed for a few minutes into a living piece of motorsport history.
The H&R premises thus became the stage for a journey through automotive history.

Motorsport history up close

The fact that such a setting does not go unnoticed was also evident away from the track. Staff, families, Porsche enthusiasts and numerous other spectators took the opportunity to experience these rare cars up close.
This is precisely what makes the Röhrl-Klassik so special: it brings motoring history to the people. The direct contact with the cars, their drivers and their history makes the event more than just a rally.
After all, the sound of the engines, the smell of the cars and the enormous range of different Porsche generations are difficult to convey in an exhibition. On the road – and at extraordinary stops along the route – they can be experienced first-hand.

When suspension technology meets rally history

The visit therefore held special significance for H&R. For decades, suspension technology and motorsport have been closely linked to the company. Springs, anti-roll bars and other suspension components are developed with the aim of combining driving dynamics, precision and control – characteristics that have also had a decisive influence on the history of rallying and sports cars.
The fact that a stage of the Röhrl-Klassik, of all events, stopped at H&R lent the gathering a special symbolic significance.
On the one hand, cars that have become icons over the decades. On the other, a modern production facility where state-of-the-art suspension technology for road and motorsport vehicles is developed.