The 50th anniversary celebration of the Škoda 130 RS at Sosnová Classic 2025 drew several legends of motorsport—and one of them was undoubtedly John Haugland, who raced Škoda cars for nearly a quarter of a century. The Norwegian driver sat down with us to reminisce about his golden era behind the wheel of the winged arrow.
Growing up in Norway means plenty of driving on snow and ice—conditions that demand mastering a car beyond the limits of tire grip. It’s no wonder the rugged North has produced some of the world’s best drivers. John was fascinated by cars from a young age and eager to gain technical knowledge. That naturally led him into motorsport, and eventually right up to the doorstep of Škoda’s Norwegian importer.
As a young apprentice mechanic, John had access to several Škoda Octavia Touring Sports at work. He bought one, rebuilt it, and prepared it for circuit racing. "That was in 1965. Then I had an accident, fixed the car, and sold it. But not long after, the Škoda 1000 MB began to be imported into Norway. I thought it could be a good rally car for snow and gravel. I pressured my boss to give me a good price, and eventually, I managed to get one," John recalls of his early beginnings.
By 1966, John was racing again—this time in a Škoda 1000 MB, with several early successes to his name. His racing activities were interrupted in 1967 by military service, but upon returning, a whole new chapter awaited. When Škoda technical delegate Karel Švábek visited Norway, he spotted the young Norwegian’s talent and decided to support him. After finishing his military service, Haugland had a proper job preparing cars—and, more importantly, racing them himself. Between 1968 and 1971, he competed in around 40 racing weekends per year.
"In 1969, I entered my first rally—Norway’s biggest, broadcast live on TV. I crashed right in front of a TV camera, rolled into the forest, but with the help of spectators, we put the car back together. I returned to the stage and finished the rally. When I came into work on Monday, the director told me rallying was what gave us visibility—and if I wanted, he’d order me a brand-new factory car on the spot," Haugland smiles.
Haugland first visited Czechoslovakia in 1968 for a six-hour endurance race in Brno and also made a trip to the Nürburgring. In 1971, he raced a test rally for the Škoda team and went on to win the Austrian Alpine Rally and Tour d’Europe in his class, finishing fourth and sixth overall. These results led to a partnership with Motokov—the then-exclusive Czechoslovak export company—which gave John the opportunity to step onto the international rally scene.
For almost two decades, John raced Škoda cars around the world. "Motokov provided the funding, and from Mladá Boleslav, we got the cars, spare parts, and mechanics. I raced like that until 1990." He started with the Škoda 120 S and moved through various models, including the celebrated 130 RS, all the way to the front-wheel-drive Škoda Favorit. With Škoda, he even made it to the World Rally Championship, where he racked up 27 starts.
John Haugland spent most of his career driving rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive cars—so who better to ask about the driving characteristics of the legendary Škoda 130 RS? "It was very competitive for its time, and I enjoyed driving it a lot. But compared to modern cars, you had to work much harder behind the wheel. With the engine and gearbox in the back, the 130 RS tended to oversteer in corners—you had to know how to handle that," he explains with the voice of experience.
He also pointed out a few flaws: "The seat needed to be lower, and the steering column position was too upright." These issues were addressed in the Škoda 130 LR, another famous rally car from Mladá Boleslav. Haugland raced the 130 RS from 1976 to 1983, scoring several major victories—most notably, three wins at the Barum Rally.
At Sosnová Classic 2025, John arrived in his very own Škoda 130 RS. The story of how he got it brought a smile to our faces: "When the 130 RS era ended, I asked the Motokov boss if I could buy one of the last cars. It was set up for tarmac and drove beautifully. It cost 5,000 crowns. I didn’t hesitate." He also got the chance to ride in a modern Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, piloted by a fellow Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen, WRC2 World Champion in 2023.
"It was fantastic—the speed of that car is truly impressive," John said, clearly thrilled by the experience.
To wrap up, Haugland shared a piece of advice every classic car owner should remember:
"The worst thing you can do is just look at your old car and not drive it. Cars need to move—otherwise, they deteriorate. I drive my 130 RS every summer. This is only the second big trip it’s been on—the first was the Goodwood Festival of Speed."
