The Volkswagen team made motorsport history in Argentina on Sunday, claiming the first diesel-powered victory in the history of the world�s toughest motorsport event, the Dakar Rally. Not only that, but the team�s South African driver, Giniel de Villiers, led home a Volkswagen 1-2. De Villiers, his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz, and their TDI-engined Race Touareg crossed the Buenos Aires finish line � after more than 5000 km of competitive rallying � nearly nine minutes ahead of the sister Volkswagen of USA/South Africa pairing Mark Miller and Ralph Pitchford. Third place went to American Hummer pilot Robby Gordon, who was more than 100 minutes adrift.
Volkswagen�s 2009 Dakar Rally achievement is the second time that the manufacturer has claimed a 1-2: in 1980, Swede Freddy Kotulinsky and Frenchman Patrick Zaniroli raced their Iltis machines to the top two overall. The Volkswagen win brings to a close seven years of domination by Mitsubishi.Source:newspress