From building and driving his own rally cars to working with professional racing teams, motorsport has been part of Meyendorf for decades.
Photograph from our own motorsport archive
MORE THAN A MECHANICBorn in 1966, Dirk Meyendorf began competing in motocross in the 1980s. From 1990, his focus shifted to rallying. He took part in numerous rallies, including rounds of the European Championship, as well as occasional endurance events at the Nürburgring. The technical side was always central: his competition cars were largely built, prepared and maintained by him. Experience gained on the stages therefore fed directly into design, servicing and repairs.
Footage from Dirk Meyendorf's personal rally archive – a glimpse of his years behind the wheel.
Original video from the Meyendorf rally archive · Playback starts when you press Play
From motocross through national rallies to European events, the focus was not just on competing but also on preparing the cars. Engines, suspension and drivetrains had to work in real racing conditions. Failures were investigated and solutions developed in-house – practical training in accurate diagnosis and dependable engineering.
From 2009, Dirk Meyendorf increasingly worked as a technician in circuit racing. At GAG Racing in Essen, he supported SEAT León Supercopa cars in the German Cup, Eurocup and Nürburgring 24 Hours. He also provided technical support for a Ford GT40 at European Championship events. Later roles included Land Motorsport, Mamerow Racing, Hohaus, Aust Motorsport and Project 1, working on cars including the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Audi R8. A highlight was the 2015 season with Project 1, when the team won titles in both the Porsche Carrera Cup and Porsche Supercup.
Rallying was never just about driving. The competition cars were built and prepared in-house. Knowing every part of a car helps identify faults quickly, trace causes and make reliable repairs under race conditions. This combination of driving and workshop experience helped shape the later specialisation in engine rebuilding.
Moving to the technical side of racing brought new demands: coordinated workflows, meticulous preparation and quick decisions under pressure. At GAG Racing, Dirk Meyendorf worked on SEAT León Supercopa cars at national and international events, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Work on a Ford GT40 in European competition was also part of this period.
Further teams included Land Motorsport, Mamerow Racing, Hohaus, Aust Motorsport and Project 1. Cars serviced included the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Audi R8. The 2015 season stands out: Meyendorf's work with Project 1 coincided with the team's victories in the German Porsche Carrera Cup and international Porsche Supercup.
The idea of rebuilding engines grew from the recurring need to repair damage to Meyendorf's own competition cars correctly. Rather than simply replacing defective assemblies, the focus is on accurate diagnosis, assessing individual components and carrying out technically sound repairs. Motorsport experience remains an important foundation for this work.
The need to repair his own racing engines reliably led to a sustained focus on diagnostics, rebuilding and engine assembly. That experience now informs the work on classic VW engines.
View the engine range →A selection of historic rally and racing photographs from the original Meyendorf website archive.
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