A 917, a Head of State and machine pistols

Here´s a funny anecdote from an interview with former 917 and Porsche test driver Willi Kauhsen, published in Germany´s SPIEGEL magazine this week. As some of you may find it interesting, here´s my rough translation:

SPIEGEL: On April 3rd 1973 you drove Germany´s Head of State Gustav Heinemann around the Nürburgring. You were at that time a well-known race driver. How did it come to that?

Kauhsen: In early February someone from Bonn rang me and asked: "Well, the German President wishes to be taken for a ride in the world´s most powerful race car around the Nürburgring. By you. Can we do that?"

SPIEGEL: The Ring is an up- and downhill track of 22 km lenght and was regarded as highly dangerous. It was extremly risky anyway to drive there with the 917, which was called the "Monster" due to its more than 1000 hp.

Kauhsen: At that time I worked for Porsche as a testdriver and had covered thousands of miles in that car. And I knew the Nürburgring from many races. It wasn´t about lapping at record speeds. However, the car´s acceleration was so mad, people who were not used to it were on the brink of passing out.

SPIEGEL: So you thought that it was easy to impress Heinemann without taking the car to its limits at all.

Kauhsen: Yes, it wasn´t neccessary to do crazy things.

SPIEGEL: But then an unexpected problem occurred: The night before Winter came back. Was Mr.Heinemann scared?

Kauhsen: Not him, but everyone else. After the whole convoy of black limousines arrived, Hilda Heinemann, his wife, asked me: "Herr Kauhsen, isn´t that much too dangerous?" I just replied "There should only be 2 or 3 patches of snow around the track, I´ll slow down there."

SPIEGEL: What did Mr. Heinemann himself say?

Kauhsen: He was just happy and smiled at me. He didn´t want to hear anything about concerns.

SPIEGEL: How did your winterly ride start?

Kauhsen: Before we set off, a personnel carrier went around the track to check for any terrorists hidden in the woods. Heavily armed policemen on the footboards left and right. Heinemann was given a helmet and was seated by my side still wearing his suit and coat. Then we set off.

SPIEGEL: How did the drive go?

Kauhsen: It dewed and indeed: At first the track was free from snow. But then suddenly I spotted the personnel carrier in the ditch and police officers running around collecting their machine guns from the tarmac. I had to do an emergency braking - and our car spun.

SPIEGEL: Did Mr. Heinemann get an unpleasant feeling?

Kauhsen: He just looked at me and gave me a thumbs up.
 

Attachments

  • 917_1973.jpg
    917_1973.jpg
    44.2 KB · Views: 401
  • 917_1973_2.jpg
    917_1973_2.jpg
    67 KB · Views: 394
  • Kauhsen_Heinemann.jpg
    Kauhsen_Heinemann.jpg
    45.6 KB · Views: 401

Charlie Farley

Supporter
Personnel Carrier in a ditch, presumably it wasn't on tracks.... even so, it would have had all terrain tyres, big ones at that. Something the 917 never sported... What a great guy the President comes across as. All that repressed regal pomp and circumstance.....he spins and gives the thumbs up, Classic !!
The boy in him reappears.
 
Personnel Carrier in a ditch, presumably it wasn't on tracks.... even so, it would have had all terrain tyres, big ones at that.

Thank you Charlie for pointing this out. I wasn´t really sure whether Personnel Carrier was the correct word, the intended meaning is more that of a crew coach.
 
Back
Top