2009 Dakar Touareg 2 Almost Ready to Race

Volkswagen has just announced that the four models to compete in the 2009 edition of Dakar are almost ready, with a November 15 deadline for the end of the production. The four Touareg 2 models will be driven by Giniel de Villiers (South Africa) and Dirk von Zitzewith (Germany), Mark Miller (USA) and Ralph Pitchford (South Africa) and Dieter Depping (Germany) and Timo Gottschalk (Germany).

“The 'Dakar' Rally 2009 promises to be the most demanding test yet for the Volkswagen Motorsport team, as it prepares to take on some of the harshest and most challenging terrain on the planet with four examples of the Race Touareg 2,” Volkswagen said in a press release.

These four Touareg 2 models will be powered by a 2.5-liter TDI diesel engine producing a maximum power of 276 hp, Volkswagen said, all the engines being currently under construction at the Volkswagen Motorsport plant in Hannover, Germany.

“From there, working to a tight deadline of November 15, the support and service trucks plus parts and equipment needed to compete in the world's toughest motorsport event will be transported to Le Havre, France, for scrutineering which takes place on November 26, before being shipped out to South America,” the German company explained.

For those of you who don't know, this is the first time in history when “The Dakar” takes place in South America, starting in Buenos Aires, Argentina and traveling through Argentina and Chile. With no less than nine victories in the past, the Touareg is expected to score new wins within the next Dakar Rally. Moreover, Volkswagen's teams made several tests in the Alps, so the new Touareg is fully completed for the race.

“The drivers have completed altitude training in the Alps, while the 2.5-liter TDI engines have been subjected to thousands of kilometers of extensive durability testing in an environment chamber, designed to simulate extreme altitudes,” Volkswagen said.