The Dakar Rally has been a successful event for Volkswagen with a 1-2 finish on the final stage of the arduous event. Giniel de Villiers' stage wins-his fourth and Volkswagen's 10th from the 14 stages-underlined the speed and dominance of the TDI powered Race Touareg 2. It was Volkswagen's team that led the first eight days of the Dakar Rally but was cut short when the team encountered engine problems. Volkswagen's team did not elaborate on the problem, so it's not really clear what goes wrong with the engine. It should be noted that the German automaker is famous for creating the best quality auto parts in the world like its Volkswagen fuel injectors. The untoward engine incident during the Rally is something that is expected especially in such a grueling race fortunately Europe's largest automaker was prepared for it. And so at the end the Volkswagen team still ends up triumphant although not in first place.
According to Volkswagen Motorsports Director Kris Nissen, "We're looking back on a Dakar Rally which has given us many great moments as well as a bitter disappointment. Volkswagen had 10 outstanding days when we claimed stage victories, five good days when we finished the stages in second and third places, and one black day when both of our best placed cars suffered problems."
The highest-placed finishers for Volkswagen were American Mark Miller and his South African co-driver Ralph Pitchford, their Race Touareg 2 finished fourth place and just over two hours behind the victorious Mitsubishi with Stephane Peterhansel as its driver.
Carlos Sousa, Volkswagen's Portuguese privateer finished seventh the event erstwhile leaders Carlos Sainz and de Villiers finished ninth and eleventh respectively. "It was a great rally for myself and the entire team. Volkswagen has claimed 10 of the 14 stage victories-when it comes to strengths of this vehicle that says it all. I feel more disappointed for the team than for myself that in the end we had no chance of winning."
The Volkswagen team's official partners are Red Bull, Castrol, BP Ultimate, BT infonet, BFGoodrich, ZF Sachs, Bosch and BBS.
Growing up with three brothers, Natalie Anderson became exposed early to the world of automobiles. This 29-year-old account manager now dreams of having her very own top-of-the-line vintage car.
Streetdirectory.com Car Focus Guide answers all your questions on numerous car brands. From details on the dependable auto appeal of Honda cars, the luxurious elegance of the Lexus to trustworthy nature of the BMW, look no further. Read the latest articles on the auto industry’s bid to save the earth through the use of an alternative fuel source, in the form of hybrid cars and hydrogen powered cars. We provide you listings on car dealership to help you in your search for the perfect car. Locate the car information that you need, at your own time, directly at your fingertips.
