| The Dakar Rally has been a successful | | | | disappointment. Volkswagen had 10 |
| event for Volkswagen with a 1-2 finish | | | | outstanding days when we claimed stage |
| on the final stage of the arduous event. | | | | victories, five good days when we |
| Giniel de Villiers' stage wins-his | | | | finished the stages in second and third |
| fourth and Volkswagen's 10th from the 14 | | | | places, and one black day when both of |
| stages-underlined the speed and | | | | our best placed cars suffered problems." |
| dominance of the TDI powered Race | | | | The highest-placed finishers for |
| Touareg 2. It was Volkswagen's team that | | | | Volkswagen were American Mark Miller and |
| led the first eight days of the Dakar | | | | his South African co-driver Ralph |
| Rally but was cut short when the team | | | | Pitchford, their Race Touareg 2 finished |
| encountered engine problems. | | | | fourth place and just over two hours |
| Volkswagen's team did not elaborate on | | | | behind the victorious Mitsubishi with |
| the problem, so it's not really clear | | | | Stephane Peterhansel as its driver. |
| what goes wrong with the engine. It | | | | Carlos Sousa, Volkswagen's Portuguese |
| should be noted that the German | | | | privateer finished seventh the event |
| automaker is famous for creating the | | | | erstwhile leaders Carlos Sainz and de |
| best quality auto parts in the world | | | | Villiers finished ninth and eleventh |
| like its Volkswagen fuel injectors. The | | | | respectively. "It was a great rally for |
| untoward engine incident during the | | | | myself and the entire team. Volkswagen |
| Rally is something that is expected | | | | has claimed 10 of the 14 stage |
| especially in such a grueling race | | | | victories-when it comes to strengths of |
| fortunately Europe's largest automaker | | | | this vehicle that says it all. I feel |
| was prepared for it. And so at the end | | | | more disappointed for the team than for |
| the Volkswagen team still ends up | | | | myself that in the end we had no chance |
| triumphant although not in first place. | | | | of winning." |
| According to Volkswagen Motorsports | | | | The Volkswagen team's official partners |
| Director Kris Nissen, "We're looking | | | | are Red Bull, Castrol, BP Ultimate, BT |
| back on a Dakar Rally which has given us | | | | infonet, BFGoodrich, ZF Sachs, Bosch and |
| many great moments as well as a bitter | | | | BBS. |