Sports: Ruedi Eggenberger died
SPORT Two days after his 79th birthday, Ruedi Eggenberger died of an illness. The St. Gallen native was a fast touring car driver before achieving great success as a team manager and tuner. In 1987, he won the brand title in the World Touring Car Championship for Ford. Ruedi Eggenberger was an icon in touring car racing. Both as a racing driver and as a tuner and team boss [...].
Ruedi Eggenberger was an icon in touring car racing. Both as a racing driver and as a tuner and team boss, the man from St. Gallen achieved great success, first on the national stage and then internationally.
The list of drivers who have ever driven for Eggenberger is long and impressive. Marc Surer, Thierry Boutsen, Johnny Cecotto, Christian Danner, Bernd Schneider, Klaus Ludwig, Steve Soper and Klaus Niedzwiedz are just a few of the resounding names.
In 1976, Eggenberger provided the impetus to turn the BMW 320 into one of the most successful Group 2 touring cars. From 1980 to 1982, the legendary duo Helmut Kelleners/Umberto Grano drove three different BMW models (320, 635 and 528) from Gümligen to the European Touring Car Championship title. In 1985, the fourth European Championship title followed with Brancatelli/Lindström, this time on a Volvo 240 Turbo.
The Ford Sierra Cosworth from the tuning shop, which has since moved to Lyss, was legendary. With the RS500, Ludwig/Niedzwiedz was the most successful duo in 1987. Eggenberger gave Ford its first and, for a long time, only World Touring Car Championship title that season, as these only existed in 1987 and then not again until 2005.
The following video shows Klaus Ludwig on the fastest qualifying lap for the Bathurst 1000 in October 1987:
In 1988, the European Championship title (with Ford) went to Switzerland again. In 1989, Eggenberger celebrated overall victory with the trio Schneider/Biela/Percy on Sierra RS500 at the 24 Hours of Spa, the most important touring car race at the time.
Eggenberger's Ford drivers also swept the board in the DTM. Not least because of regulatory interventions, such as larger air mass limiters for the turbos and additional lead, Klaus Niedzwiedz remained runner-up in the 1989 championship. Eggenberger then angrily turned his back on the DTM.
In 1993, not one but two Swiss conquered a championship title with Eggenberger cars. Bernard Thuner won the newly launched Swiss Touring Car Championship on a Peugeot 405 Mi16 from Lyss and "Johnny Hauser" became German Champion in the Formula Opel Lotus. In 1994 and 1995, Eggenberger's Ford Mondeo V6s with drivers like Roland Asch and Thierry Boutsen were the best front-wheel drive cars in the new Super Touring Car category.
Egmo is still a household name and a guarantee of success today
Instead of undertaking its own racing operations, Eggenberger thereafter concentrated more on supporting customer projects. Increasing demand prompted the founding of Eggenberger Motorenbau AG (today known as Egmo for short).
At the end of 2008, Ruedi Eggenberger handed over the company to the German Lothar Rothenheber. Since then, Egmo has continued to be well represented in motorsport, with numerous national Swiss drivers having their engines serviced and supported by Egmo.
AutoSprintCH extends its condolences to Ruedi Eggenberger's wife Gisele, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all relatives.
