Mladá
Boleslav, 9 August 2013 – Hans-Joachim “Strietzel” Stuck, a legend of European
race tracks, has chosen a ŠKODA Yeti as his personal car, opting for a 2.0
TDI/140hp diesel engine and all wheel drive. Stuck, who earned a list of
nicknames during his long career, including “King of Hockenheim”, has a close
connection to ŠKODA brand not only based on personal sympathies, but also
professionally: for example, he assisted in the setup of the Fabia Super 2000
race car.
“I am a great ŠKODA fan,”
says Hans-Joachim Stuck. “I like the way this brand combines advanced
technologies and lots of space at a reasonable price.” These were the factors
which convinced this almost two-metre tall native from Garmisch-Partenkirchen
in Bavaria to go for the Czech SUV: "The Yeti has enough space not just
for me with my height, but also for my dog. And on top of that, I love the way
Yeti handles both on the pavement and off the road - which is a great asset in
the Austrian Alps, where I live.”
Stuck’s ŠKODA Yeti features a 2.0 TDI diesel
engine with 140 horsepower (103 kW), connected to the six-speed manual gearbox
and intelligent all-wheel drive with Haldex clutch. The car is pastel white
with a black roof. Beyond the Elegance trim level, it is fitted with only a few
options, one of them the Light Assistant (automatic headlights), which will
come handy in Alpine tunnels.
But Hans-Joachim Stuck is not the only one who
took a fancy to ŠKODA’s SUV. Since its launch in 2009, more than 265,000
drivers all over the world have chosen the Yeti. In 2012 alone, ŠKODA sold
87,400 Yeti, a year-on-year plus of 24.3 per cent, and 41,800 Yeti have been
sold worldwide so far in the first half of 2013. In Europe, the Yeti’s market
share is about five per cent, making it one of the Top 10 bestselling A-segment
SUVs. In its home market, the Czech Republic, it is the undisputed number one
in this segment. And on top of that, it has received many awards, both
from experts and the general public. One example is the Auto Express readers’
poll. In this customer satisfaction survey, around 46,000 readers from Great
Britain voted the Yeti number one.
Hans-Joachim Stuck is a legend of European motor
racing. While his father, "King of the Hills" Hans Stuck, was a
hillclimbing icon, his son, known as "Strietzel," excelled in circuit
racing, winning his first 24-hour race at just 19 years at Nürburgring. During
his long career, he succeeded not just in touring car championships, but also
in Formula 1 and 2 races, crowning his career with two wins at Le Mans and the
sports car world championship. Although he earned many a nickname such as
"The King of Hockenheim" („König von Hockenheim“) or „The Rain
Master“ („Regenmeister“), "Strietzel” (“Rascal") stuck with him ever
since he was born in 1951.
When “Strietzel” Stuck retired from active
racing in 2011, he had already been Volkswagen motorsport ambassador for three
years, developing close ties with ŠKODA brand and especially with Michal
Hrabánek, the head of ŠKODA Motorsport. “In 2008, I helped with the setup of
the Fabia Super 2000 cars, and since then, I have been following their
successes in IRC and later also in ERC,” explains Stuck. In May 2013, Stuck had
a chance to drive the third generation of the Octavia Combi 4x4 at its
international press launch in Kitzbühel, Austria. He later summed up his
impressions in just two words: "Simply brilliant!"