History 1970s

1971 International Swedish Rally (Sweden)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1971 International Swedish Rally

Date: February 12–16, 1971

Host Country: Sweden

Surface: Snow/Ice

Total Distance: ~1270 km

Total Starters: 85 crews

Total Finishers: 52 crews

The 1971 Swedish Rally once again lived up to its reputation as a brutally fast and technically demanding winter event. Held deep in the snow-covered forests of central Sweden, the rally emphasized maximum speed and pinpoint car control across icy, snow-lined stages that tested even the most seasoned Nordic drivers.

Route

Frozen Lakes: Sections included wide-open lake crossings with maximum traction and minimal margin for braking error.
Forest Sprints: Tree-lined corridors forced drivers into high-speed precision maneuvers with snowbanks acting as track limits.
Night Stages: Bitter cold and reduced visibility pushed co-driver rhythm and headlight setup to the forefront.

The rally route covered a wide swath of central Sweden, including long, flowing forest stages and tight snow-packed roads around Karlstad and the Värmland region.

Snowbanks were as much a tool as an obstacle, allowing experienced drivers to use them for cornering leverage or risk ending the rally in a buried front end.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Stig Blomqvist & Arne Hertz · Saab 96 V4
2nd Place
Simo Lampinen & John Davenport · Saab 96 V4
3rd Place
Timo Mäkinen & Juhani Toivonen · Ford Escort Twin Cam

Blomqvist delivered a masterclass in winter driving, navigating deep snow and sub-zero temperatures with poise and speed in the ever-reliable Saab 96.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Deep Snowbanks: Misjudging a corner often meant instant retirement or digging out for minutes.
  • Long-Distance Wear: Over 1,200 km of rallying punished tires, engines, and crew stamina alike.
  • High-Speed Drift Control: Success required supreme balance between aggression and calculated slides at over 160 km/h on ice.

The 1971 Swedish Rally confirmed Blomqvist’s place among rally greats and further proved the Saab 96 V4’s legendary status in Scandinavian snow.

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