The morning starts early in the heart of the West Palatinate. Holger Fuchs steers the anthracite-coloured Opel Ascona B out of the garage – restored by himself two years ago, 2.4 litres of displacement, Weber twin carburettors. The column leader from the Kaiserslautern plant and member of the Ascona Team Kaiserslautern has meticulously prepared the upcoming trip for a long time. And dreamed of it for even longer. Now it is becoming reality.

Day 1: Three countries, 582 kilometres

In Kaiserslautern and near Heilbronn, the other participants will join them. The convoy continues southwards: two Ascona B, one Opel Rekord E. First stop at Hopfensee – lunch break with an alpine panorama. The mood is excellent, the plates full. Then over the Fern Pass to Lake Reschen. There, the church tower rises out of the water – a landmark that is the ideal photo point. A short walk, a coffee, then the rest of the route to the guesthouse in Austria is completed. Twelve hours, three countries, 582 kilometres. A marathon day.

Day 2: Alpine Passes and endorphins

Breakfast, coffee, engine on. Today, the Stelvio Pass awaits – the highest point of the tour at 2,760 metres. Grey asphalt, white snow, blue sky. The Ascona takes every incline as if it had never aged. „The trip was worth it for these hairpins alone,“ says Fuchs. Then it goes down to Bormio, on to Livigno, via St. Moritz the convoy rolls south. Today, they cover 287 kilometres with eight hours of pure driving and countless photo stops. And yet the feeling remains that pictures do not do justice to reality. „This driving pleasure, this freedom – that can’t be captured,“ says Fuchs. In the evening, the tour group reaches Brione, a mountain village with narrow streets. Accommodation is a 200-year-old stone house – stone walls, creaking doors, the smell of old wood. „This day simply cannot be put into words,“ Fuchs sums up.

Day 3: Arrival in Ascona

There is tension at the breakfast table. No big words, just chewing faces. Everyone knows: Today is the day. A few kilometres to the finish. And then: the Ascona town sign. The small delegation slowly rolls into the village. Pedestrians stop, look, wave. The two Ascona plus Rekord are parked next to each other on the lakeshore. This arrival is also a piece of history. In 1975, the Ascona B made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show: larger, more comfortable, more efficient than its predecessor. The last Opel Ascona with rear-wheel drive. Rally successes included.

But why is the Opel Ascona actually called Ascona? In the 1960s, marketing strategists were looking for melodious names with international flair. Like Manta, Kadett or Senator. „Ascona“ was the choice – a holiday resort on Lake Maggiore, Mediterranean, sophisticated, a piece of Dolce Vita. Today, 50 years later, the car has returned to where its name originated.

Day 4: Homeward

Travelling also means saying goodbye. From Brione, the path leads over the Gotthard Pass, past Lake Lucerne back to the north. Destination: Blumberg in the Black Forest. Mark Schett and Natascha Huber from the Old School Crew are waiting there – with beds and XXL portions of food. The next morning: the last breakfast, then the journey home. After five days and 1,768 kilometres, the convoy is back. No breakdowns, no rain. Only ever-lasting impressions, Alpine passes, the thrill of curves.

1,768 kilometres full of memories

Holger Fuchs – together with his wife – thanks his fellow participants Christian Gallert, René Treitz and Michael Schmidt who also embarked on the adventure. „It was an unforgettable experience,“ he says. And he adds another sentence – a message to all those who have a similar dream: „Don’t put it off: Just drive. If not now – when?“