Archive for Dakar
Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 celebrates spectacular world debut.In a spectacular show the new Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 was unveiled to the public on Friday. The 310-hp cross-country rally prototype experienced its public debut in the impressive setting of the amphitheater in Trier alongside ancient chariots and gladiators. 1,000 spectators witnessed the presentation of the successor of model version 2, the car that decided the legendary Dakar Rally in its favor in 2009 and 2010. Volkswagen is set on bringing the “Dakar” trophy to Wolfsburg for the third time in a row in January 2011 with the Race Touareg 3 and is the only manufacturer so far to have decided the automobile classification of the desert classic in its favor with diesel power. From September 11 to 18 the new Race Touareg 3 will make its competitive debut at the Silk Way Rally through Russia.
More soon…. 8/24/2010 – 11:12hr
An evolution model that is as tough as nails: the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 has completed three weeks of testing in Spain and Morocco with extreme success. The successor of the diesel prototype from the model range 2 that had been successful twice in the legendary Dakar Rally handled the more than double “Dakar” distance without any technical problems and thus proved to be well prepared to tackle the remainder of the program before the Dakar Rally’s start on 01 January 2011 in Buenos Aires and the world’s toughest desert rally itself. On 20 August the “RT3” will be presented to the public for the first time in “Dakar” trim in Trier (Germany). From 11 to 18 September it will make its competitive debut Read More→
The VW Race Touareg was the dominant car at the last Dakar Rally in South America. VW intents to continue it’s winning streak and the race car for the 2011 Dakar just completed a major r&d and testing program in the European alps. A prototype photographer catches the Race Touareg at the brake test. When this years winner Carlos Sainz and the other team drivers at New Year’s day go racing again in South America, the pilots can rely on their racing machine. It’s not a secret yet the results show the past years: preparation rules! The Volkswagen Race Touareg absolves an extensive test program at regular roads. In the Read More→
The organizers of the Dakar, A.S.O. – Amaury Sport Organization, made the route of the 33rd edition Dakar Rally Raid public. The 2011 edition of the famous Dakar will take place from 1st to 16th January 2011 in Argentina and Chile. Competitor enrollment will open on 15th May at the official Dakar website, www.dakar.com. For this third episode in South America, the riders, drivers and crews will be returning to some places that have already competed at the past rallies, such as the white dunes of Fiambala, the vast Atacama Desert or the dizzying descent to Iquique. Read More→
After two editions in South America, the organizers of the Dakar are pleased to announce that the world’s leading rally-raid will take place there again in 2011. The excellent relations built up with the two countries, the vital assets in sporting terms, as well as the swell of enthusiasm seen amongst spectators last January, have led the Dakar team to propose a third installment in Argentina and Chile for the 2011 edition, which will take place from 1st to 16th January. For Enrique Meyer, the Argentine Secretary of State for Tourism, “being able to count on the Dakar again is a dream come true for Argentina. Read More→
Stéphane Peterhansel and Guerlain Chicherit shadowed Carlos Sainz and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah to the finish of 14th and final stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally between Santa Rosa de la Pampa and Buenos Aires in Argentina on Saturday. The result meant that Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret – who finished the last stage in fourth – confirmed fourth in the overall standings and Chicherit and Swedish co-driver Tina Thörner finished in fifth overall after setting the third quickest time in the second BMW X3 CC. “It was a hard and very enjoyable Dakar for me, Jean-Paul and the team,” said Peterhansel. “I led the way at the start today and pushed a little, but not too hard, because I knew that Nasser (Al-Attiyah) was behind. Except for the problems on the fifth day it has been a great success for us. We claimed four stage wins. That one problem cost us at least a podium and maybe something even better. Now we can go away and look ahead to the next time with optimism.” Read More→
Team X-raid Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret claimed the fastest time on the 13th and penultimate stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally between San Rafael and Santa Rosa de la Pampa in Argentina on Friday. Peterhansel’s 55th career Dakar stage win and his 22nd in a car was also his fourth of this Dakar and the sixth out of 13 for Sven Quandt’s Trebur-based BMW X-raid team this year, following single stage wins for both Joan ‘Nani’ Roma and Guerlain Chicherit. Chicherit and Swedish co-driver Tina Thörner started the stage from 15th on the road and performed superbly to record the third fastest time behind Peterhansel and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, but they finished in front of overall leader Carlos Sainz. Read More→
Team X-raid Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret lost a few crucial minutes on the closing kilometers of the 12th stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally between San Juan and San Rafael in Argentina on Thursday. But the French duo still set the fourth fastest time in their BMW X3 CC to consolidate a similar position in the overall classification. “We definitely had no chance on this stage,” admitted Peterhansel. “It was in the program in last year’s Dakar, run in reverse, and that was where we retired. About 30km from the end of the special we had a minor engine problem and had to finish the stage at around 30km/h. This cost us the time.” Guerlain Chicherit and Tina Thörner began the stage from the front of the car field, but lost over one and a half hours replacing Read More→
