tuningblog.eu Your magazine about tuning the car
In the past they were vital connections between remote valleys, today they are attractions for tourists and motorists: we are talking about mountain passes that inspire with their spectacular roads and views. There are countless pass roads in Europe - the Alps in particular are peppered with exciting routes over the mountain slopes. CUPRA has compiled seven of the most beautiful mountain passes in Europe and presents their special features.
Driving fun mountain passes in Europe
- Challenger brand presents seven mountain passes in Europe
- The Alps in particular promise a lot of driving fun
- In the footsteps of Walter Röhrl and the Tour de France
For millennia, people have crossed great mountains to settle new regions or to engage in trade. In the Alps, for example, the Romans expanded their trade routes more than 2000 years ago. Many paved pass roads that were open to traffic were built in the early 20th century and wind their way up the mountain with serpentines in the particularly steep areas. In this way, mountains can also be overcome whose slopes would otherwise be too steep for car traffic. Nevertheless, gradients of 10 to 20 percent are not uncommon and require a lot of concentration when driving.
But it is precisely the challenging routes that appeal to many drivers: the more winding the roads and the tighter the curves, the more driving fun the mountain passes bring. With sporty models - such as the CUPRA Leon Sportstourer - emotions arise here that a simple country road or motorway cannot offer. Along the meandering pass roads, there are also frequent opportunities for short stops to enjoy the view and take a souvenir photo. A detour to the following seven pass roads is always worthwhile - including a stop at the apex for an optimal view of the adjacent mountains and valleys.
Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Alps, Austria)
High, higher, Grossglockner High Alpine Road: there is no other paved pass in Austria that goes higher than here. Today, the road reaches 2504 meters at the apex, but it even goes up to 1,6 meters on the approximately 2571-kilometer-long Edelweißspitze Panorama Road that branches off. The winding Grossglockner High Alpine Road is primarily used by tourists and is considered an adventure road. The route runs around 48 kilometers from Bruck to Heiligenblut and is subject to a toll. But the small toll is worth it: the infrastructure is well developed and visitors* can let their eyes wander far into the surrounding valleys when the weather is good. Also: As the name already suggests, the Großglockner – Austria's highest mountain – is not far away.
Col de Turini (Alps, France)
The Col de Turini is legendary for motorsport fans. Once a year, the Monte Carlo Rally passes here, one of the most prestigious racing events in the world. Those who want to follow in the footsteps of celebrated rally drivers such as Walter Röhrl or Ari Vatanen with their CUPRA are in good hands at the Col de Turini. The 42 hairpin bends on the approximately 30-kilometer route from Lantosque to Sospel are particularly appealing and give you a real rally feeling. Anyone driving the CUPRA Leon Sports Tourer will learn to appreciate the sporty chassis and take pleasure in the constantly changing corners. The view becomes a minor matter and the road the highlight of the holiday trip. If you still want to stretch your legs in between, you can make a stop at the centuries-old Notre-Dame de la Ménour chapel.
Stelvio Pass (Alps, Italy)
At the Stilfser Joch it gets high alpine: The highest pass road in the Eastern Alps meanders from Prad in South Tyrol to the Lombard community of Bormio at up to 2757 meters. Even more extreme than the height are the steep gradients of sometimes 15 percent. Here, too, the CUPRA Leon Sports Tourer shines: its most powerful engine with 310 hp (combined fuel consumption: 7,7 l/100 km; CO2-Emissions combined: 176 g/km; CO2-Efficiency class: D)* and 4Drive help that even the steep inclines on the Stelvio Pass can be conquered with performance. If you need a break from the steady and winding uphill, you can see the Ortler Alps from the Stelvio Pass and see the highest peak in the mountain group at 3905 meters.
Gotthard Pass (Alps, Switzerland)
The Gotthard massif is well known beyond the borders of Switzerland for its 16,9 km long road tunnel - the longest in the Alps. But the tunnel hasn't been around for long: Vehicles have only been driving under the massif here since 1980. Before the tunnel was opened, the Gotthard Pass was the most important north-south connection in the Alps. People and goods have been moving here since the Middle Ages, and around 1900 the first motorized vehicles drove on the pass. At 2107 meters, it is not one of the highest passes in the Alps, but it does impress with a varied route - partly over gorges - with a charming route.
Transfăgărășan (Carpathians, Romania)
Not only the Alps have exciting pass roads to offer. In Eastern Europe, the Carpathian Mountains, which are up to 2655 meters high, characterize the landscape. Especially in Romania, large parts of the country are covered by high mountains. Here is also the Transfăgărășan - in English: Transfagarascher Hochstraße. It is considered one of the most beautiful passes in the Carpathians. At around 115 kilometers, it is comparatively long and climbs rather moderately, especially from the south. In the plateau, the road winds through rugged landscapes surrounded by the mountain slopes of the surrounding Făgăraș Mountains of the Southern Cape. About halfway, the route passes the Lacul Vidraru reservoir. By the way, if you want to drive the Transfăgărășan, you should plan the trip well: the route is only open from July to October.
Bealach na Ba (Highlands, Scotland)
It doesn't always have to be in high alpine regions for a pass road to become a highlight. In the Scottish Highlands there are passes that only cover a few hundred meters and are still worth the journey. The Bealach na Bà only leads to an altitude of 626 meters and, with a manageable length of around 18 kilometers, is fast. Nevertheless, the one-lane pass with its serpentines, which is unusual for Scotland, offers a lot of driving fun. The road begins almost at sea level at Tornapress and, after a steep climb and an equally steep descent, ends back at sea level at Applecross.
Port de Pailhères (Pyrenees, France)
The Pyrenees form a natural border between Spain and France and tower up to 3404 meters. If you drive to Spain and do not drive along the coast, you will inevitably pass the Pyrenees. And the detour is worth it: Many breathtaking passes run through the mountains - some of them are known as stages of the Tour de France. The Port de Pailhères is one of them. Accordingly, the road is in very good condition and also offers drivers a varied experience of tight hairpin bends, green forests and rugged mountain landscape. Photo credits + text: Cupra (Seat Sport SA)
Of course, that wasn't the end of it!
tuningblog has countless other articles on the subject of car and auto tuning in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. In part, we would like to provide you with news but also off the tuning. In our category Tips, products, information & Co We have reviews of car or accessories manufacturers, new ones Tuning Wiki Terms or one or the other Leak veröffentlicht. Just click on one of the following posts!
