Tobias Aichele "I fell madly in love with the Volvo P 1800."
Swissvax: " Tobias, thank you for letting us learn more about you and your passion for cars. What car did you drive to the office this morning?"
Tobias: With a Porsche 928 from 1978.
Swissvax: “How did your collection come about?”
Tobias: I fell madly in love with the Volvo P 1800, not because of Roger Moore's car chases in the crime series "The Saint", but because of a brochure that I bought at the Veterama in 1982. The picture showed the coupé in anthracite with a red interior. Almost a year later, I had found my dream car. Then there were already two. At the time, I drove a Volvo 142 from 1969 in everyday life. That was the foundation of my current "darling".
Swissvax: "What is your relationship with your cars?"
Tobias: Unbiased people would say: “That’s not normal!”
Swissvax: "What's missing from your collection, what's next?"
Tobias: The word collection gives the wrong impression. I don't collect in the conventional sense, but rather want to experience something with my vehicles. That's why I would like to drive a Bentley Turbo R in everyday life.
Swissvax: “How did you get into the automotive sector as a journalist?”
Tobias: During my studies (business administration and automotive engineering) I was a test and photo driver for the motorcycle magazine PS. The next step was to complete an internship at Motor Presse Stuttgart. This paved the way.
Swissvax: “What would have happened if the people from Sindelfingen and not the people from Zuffenhausen had taken you in?”
Tobias: Then it would have just been a “detour”.
Swissvax: “Why are you so enthusiastic about the Porsche brand?”
Tobias: It was the company culture. When I got to know the brand as a young journalist, every employee would have given anything for their employer. I was able to spend time with many Porsche personalities: with Prof. Ferry Porsche in the office (“Can you tell me about it?”); technical discussions with Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche in his studio in Zell am See or at a tea time in the Porsche villa in Stuttgart (“Black is not a color, but a coat of paint for those who cannot decide on a color.”); weekly visits to the home of Huschke von Hanstein and his wife Ursula (“I wish you a happy end.”); time travel with Heinz Rabe (“On the trail of the Porsche myth”); numerous evening meals in Buttenhausen with Hellmut Bott, the long-standing technical director and father of the 959 (“It is not my place to correct you”); private visits to the former head of design Anatole Lapine (“The 911 is like an arrow fired backwards”), etc. That left its mark – and some of the cars in my fleet have a direct connection to these encounters.
Swissvax: “You have already published many award-winning books on the subject of Porsche – what’s next?”
Tobias: The latest book on “75 Years of Porsche” with René Staud was published in September 2023.
Swissvax: “Will we ever see a book from you about the modern Porsche myth? Is there such a thing as a modern myth?”
Tobias: Yes, there is this "modern" myth. This is demonstrated by the new communities such as "Luftgekühlt", "Onassis Porsche" or the "Heizr-Club". There is even an opulent work by Frank Kayser about the members of the "R-Group". I follow these movements with great interest. But there is still enough for me to discover in the historical Porsche world.
Swissvax: “Do you have an example for us?”
Tobias: Yes, just a few months ago I rediscovered the KMW-Porsche racing team, with the racing transporter, the legendary KMW-Porsche SP 31 with turbo drive and all Type 916 engines with four camshafts from the Porsche racing department.
Swissvax: “With your company Solitude and your daughter Chiara you organize various events – how has that developed and where are you headed?”
Tobias: It has to be a bit crazy these days. Unconventional - and contrary, like driving million-dollar vintage cars onto a frozen lake. Driving a rally for four days - from morning to night - is definitely not the future.
Swissvax: “Do you see any changes in the motorsport events market?”
Tobias: The range is so large that larger providers, who also bring a certain economic power to the region, will prevail. In this context, it is also exciting to observe what is currently developing around the Concorso in the Villa d'Este. Here, too, various organizers are joining forces. In America, by the way, this has been the case for a long time.
And then: Events are somehow like real estate. The location is crucial. St. Moritz, for example, is sought after worldwide. That's why participants came from all over the world to the Kilomètre Lancé, which we organized from 2021 to 2023. Our fans from California, for example, came for ten days and brought their entire families with them.
But it is also important to give special vehicles a forum. We were also able to score points here at our mobility festival in St. Moritz. Record-breaking vehicles can exploit their potential on the 1.85-kilometer-long runway.
Swissvax: "Please describe a typical trip in a classic car. How does that feel for you?"
Tobias Aichele: For me, trips are like time travel. For example, when I get into my 1963 Volvo P 1800, I first set the switch inside to "sixties". This way I internalize that my brakes are worse, my steering forces are very high, I have to park more carefully to protect the car, etc. Only then do I get going. The best thing is when you go on vacation with a classic car and spend a few days at a time on this nostalgic journey through time. This way you internalize the disadvantages and the only thing that counts is the enjoyment. I think I have a permanent grin on my face when I go on trips like this.
Swissvax: “What do you personally associate with Care for your Dream?”
Tobias: I have always made my dreams come true: family, career, travel, a strong hobby with vintage cars.
Eight years ago I found the right property to bring everything together under one roof. It feels great, as a place of retreat and as a breeding ground for new projects. Care for your dream – don't wait!
Swissvax: “What is your best moment or experience with your classic car so far?”
Tobias: My races at the historic Grand Prix in Monaco and at the Goodwood Revival – and my participation in the historic Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man. The short trips in our VW T 2 Westfalia are also nice.
