The 2009 Dakar Rally, held 10 months ago, was significant for a number of reasons. It was the first rally held since its cancelation in 2008, the first held in South America, and the first to see a diesel-powered vehicle win it all. The victorious Race Touareg was the first Volkswagen to claim the podium since 1980, and in its quest to repeat, the German automaker will be sending five Touraegs to the upcoming 2010 rally, set to run January 2-16.
The Race Touaregs are powered by 276-horsepower, 2.5-liter TDI engines, and the two-man teams will include the following five pairs:
- Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz (2009 winners)
- Mark Miller and Ralph Pitchford (2009 follow-ups)
- Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz
- Nasser Al-Attiyah and Timo Gottschalk
- Mauricio Neves and Clecio Maestrelli
The 2010 Dakar Rally will officially be the 31st rally of its history (32nd including the canceled 2008 event). Man and machine will traverse over 5500 miles of Argentinean and Chilean terrain, including treks through the Andes mountain range and the parched Atacama desert. The course will start and end in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Source: Volkswagen U.K.