In the mid-1980s, when so-called forest dieback was a hot topic and no association, political party, or media outlet was fighting against this hysteria—a member of the Federal Council even wanted to ban all classic cars from the roads—HA Bichsel founded the Swiss umbrella organization for historic motor vehicles (SDHM). This organization actively and successfully campaigned for the recognition of the historic automobile as a cultural asset that belongs on our roads. The organization thus secured from the authorities the requirement for technical inspections of historic automobiles every five years, as well as a collective registration number for appropriately certified classic cars. At the Rétromobile trade fair in Paris in 1991, Bichsel decided to organize a rally within the organization to the French capital, to the then Centre International de l'Automobile (CIA) in Pantin, just outside the city. Firstly, because the scene at that time was entirely inward-looking; people had little knowledge of what was happening abroad in this area (and there was a great deal happening there, including on a political level, unlike in Switzerland), and because rallies took place almost exclusively within our national borders. Secondly, however, because Paris is the undisputed cultural capital of the automobile. The car in its current form was developed and built here; automotive culture began here.

The first RAID SUISSE-PARIS-PANTIN took place in August 1991. Five years later, the round courtyard of the Basel Exhibition Center became the starting point. From then on, the rally was simply called RAID SUISSE-PARIS; the CIA (Central International Automobile Association) was discontinued. The first Winter RAID was held in 2004, followed by the RAID DU SUD, the RAID to Vienna, and the one to Rimini. There was also the Young Raider's Challenge, a rally exclusively for young classic car enthusiasts. Cultural RAID tours in historic automobiles were offered to Palladio's villas in Italy and to Pininfarina in Turin. These were followed by the RAID Autumn Drives, cultural excursions to South Tyrol, Bavaria, and the lakes of northern Italy. In total, over 60 rallies were held, including the Asian RAID in Malaysia, as well as 12 cultural RAID tours.

For years, RAID prologues from various parts of the country led to the RAID start in Basel. After all, the oldest Concours d'Elégance in Switzerland is a RAID event in Basel. The Concours on Bürkliplatz in Zurich is also a RAID origin, although it has been under different management for years. Finally, in the Swiss Plateau, there was the "Jura" Concours d'Elégance, which also included a prologue.

Internally, RAID is undergoing a generational change. The future of this large and prestigious rally is secure.