“Pike’s Peak was really against this male macho world in America. It was the first time they could see a rally car, a turbocharged engine, first European and on top a woman. It was a lot for them. It was a lot, but they didn’t know that being difficult to me gives me more power.”
If you don’t know who Michèle Mouton is, stick around this site for a bit. Telling her story is one of the long-term missions of this site, but the basics are these. Michèle was signed with Audi Sport in the brand’s earliest rallying days, became the first woman to ever win a race in the World Rally Championship, very nearly took the championship itself in 1982, then later won Pike’s Peak where she’s listed with all the other winners under a tab called “Kings of the Mountain”.
So my title is a little misleading. Michèle would likely raise a skeptical eyebrow at me for cherrypicking such a dramatic quote for the title. Mouton being both French and female has caused her to be coined with the likely unwelcome nickname “Black Volcano”, coined with a nod to her long-dark hair back then, dark eyes and perceived stereotype that goes with her gender and her nationality. That moniker really does a disservice in my opinion, because it’s Michèle’s determination, grit and methodical approach that allowed her to take up racing at the atypical age of 21 and from there to go and achieve all that she did during her relatively short time in the spotlight. It is these qualities that more aptly define her, not trivial and sometimes pejorative stereotypes.
Given all these things, plus her legend status in the lexicon of the Audi brand, that make any interview with her insightful. A hat tip is due though to Audi Spain who paired her with a team of experienced journalists to conduct a most interesting interview. And though the questions are posed in Spanish, my mainly English-speaking audience will note that all but one answer by Mouton is in English and makes the video an insightful and informative piece to consume.
It also doesn’t hurt that the interview is beautifully staged and shot. Michèle’s 1985 Sport quattro S1 Pike’s Peak winning car is also there on set in the background. There’s no doubt Audi Spain gets the volcano of authenticity Mouton and her achievement give to the brand, and I wanted to make sure their team knows how much enthusiasts see the value in their putting time and effort into it. Make sure to give them a follow on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram and let them know in the comments what you think of this piece.
