The RAID history

An exciting story ….
In the mid-1980s, when the so-called forest dieback was on everyone's lips and no association, no party, no media was fighting against this hysteria, and a member of the Federal Council even wanted to ban all vintage cars from the streets, HA Bichsel founded Switzerland. Association for Historic Motor Vehicles (SDHM). This association fought actively and successfully for the recognition of the historic automobile as a cultural asset that belongs on our streets. In this way, the association obtained from the authorities the technical inspection for historic automobiles at intervals of 5 years as well as the collection number for correspondingly certified classic cars.
At the Rétromobile trade fair in Paris in 1991, Bichsel decided to hold a rally within the association in the French capital, at the then Center International de l'Automobile (CIA) in Pantin, just outside the city. Firstly, because the scene at that time was completely inward-looking, people hardly knew what was happening abroad in this matter (and a lot was happening there, including on a political level, in contrast to Switzerland) and because rallies were almost exclusively took place within our national borders. Secondly, because Paris is the cultural capital of the automobile. This is where the car in its current form was developed and built; this is where automobile culture began.
The first RAID SUISSE-PARIS-PANTIN took place in August 1991, five years later the Rundhof of the Basel trade fair became the starting point, from then on the rally was only called RAID SUISSE-PARIS, the CIA no longer existed. The first WinterRAID started in 2004, followed by the RAID DU SUD, the RAID to Vienna, and the one to Rimini. There was the Young Raider's Challenge, a rally just for young vintage car fans. There were cultural RAID trips in historic automobiles to the Palladio villas in Italy and to Pininfarina in Turin, followed by the RAID Autumn Drives as cultural trips to South Tyrol, Bavaria and the northern Italian lakes.
In total, over 60 rallies were held, including the Asian RAID in Malaysia, as well as 12 cultural RAID rides.
For years, the RAID prologues from various parts of the country took place at the RAID start in Basel. Finally, the oldest Concours d'Elégance in Switzerland in Basel is a RAID event (currently suspended due to paving work on the parade route). The concours on Bürkliplatz in Zurich was also founded by RAID, although it has been in different hands for years. Finally, in the Mittelland there was the “jura” Concours d'Elégance, combined with a prologue.
…. but also a successful present and promising future
In 2023, the WinterRAID and RAID SUISSE were very successful events, and the RAID Autumn Rallye, a unique combination of rally sport and culinary delights, starts for the first time in autumn. The 20th WinterRAID, an anniversary RAID, will follow in January 2024.
A RAID DU SUD will run again in September 2024, for the first time over four days and with shorter daily stages. In the same year, the tradition of cultural RAID trips continues.
Internally, a generational change is underway with RAID. In this way, the future of this large and traditional rally is secured.