VW Race Touareg 3 Qatar Concept

VW Race Touareg 3 Qatar Concept

At the first Qatar Motor Show (26-29 January, 2011), Volkswagen has presented a slightly tamer version of the Touareg 3 that started in the Dakar Rally at the beginning of January 2011; this 228 kW / 310 PS Volkswagen could very well be the world's most talented street-legal SUV.

This is a genuine Rally motorsport vehicle, like the one that was still touring South America in the Dakar Rally two weeks ago and was built to withstand the toughest rally race in the world. The vehicle now being shown in Qatar is a version of the Race Touareg 3 - an SUV that can sprint to 100 km/h in less than six seconds - that is legally approved for use on public roadways. The just over two metre wide body was slightly modified for road use. Instead of 16-inch wheels, new 18-inch wheels from BBS with a gold look are being used. The "Race Touareg" signature - also in a golden colour - stretches the entire length of the vehicle's sides. In turn, it is perfectly coordinated with the exterior paint in "Magic Morning," a white that has a slight gold shimmer to it.

Stephane Peterhansel wins PAX Rally Portugal!!

Stephane Peterhansel wins PAX Rally Portugal!!
Newflash: Stephane Peterhansel [Mitsubishi] maintained a steady push to exert pressure on rally leader Carlos Sainz [Volkswagen] until the very final kilometers of the PAX Rally Portugal. Stephane's victory is also the Mitsubishi Montero MPR13's final victory, as the vehicle will be retired after this rally.Carlos Sainz who was leading by a wide margin, making it almost impossible for Peterhansel to catch up. However the Mitsubishi team pushed hard to maintain pressure on the Volkswagen driver, and pressure finally caught up with Carlos, who rolled his Racing Touareg 2, handing over the victory to Peterhansel.

The PAX Rally Portugal has seen it's purpose being fulfilled. The rally promising intense action from start to finish, which is what exactly happened. The stages being few, the entire rally was fought until the very end. Mitsubishi wins the part 2 of the 2008 Dakar Series, while Volkswagen claimed victory in part 1.

The victory for Mitsubishi is sweeter as they retire a trusted and reliable rally machine, the MPR13. It will be succeeded by the MRX09 Racing Lancer in all future Cross Country Rallies and in the 2009 Dakar in South America.

Pictures and Full press release to follow later.

-= UPDATE =-
Official Press Release from MMSP

DAKAR SERIES
PAX RALLY EM
14 SEPTEMBER 2008
LEG 5

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL TAKES VICTORY IN PORTUGAL FOR REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART TEAM

Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team’s Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) profited from the shortened final stage of the inaugural PAX Rally to clinch a dramatic win this afternoon in Portimao, Portugal. The French crew were fastest on two of the five-day event's six stages and stole victory from the grasp of former WRC champion Carlos Sainz by a margin of 16 seconds after almost 800km of against-the-clock action.

There was further cause for celebration in the Mitsubishi camp thanks to Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France) who came third to round off the Dakar Series event and mark the Montero/Pajero Evolution's last competitive outing with a double podium.

A time-consuming roll on Saturday afternoon put team-mates Joan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain) out of contention for a top finish, but the Spanish pair's run was rewarded with sixth place overall.

After more than 10 hours of competitive driving through central and southern Portugal since Wednesday morning's start, Peterhansel and Sainz were split by just 31 seconds in the Spaniard's favour going into this morning's stage. When the first half of this test was neutralised because of a nearby forest fire, it looked practically certain that the Frenchman would have to settle for second place, but Sainz went on to make a mistake after the re-start and the Mitsubishi driver pounced on the opportunity to steal first place in a breathtaking finale!

"I know it's a cliché, but an event is never over until the finish line has been crossed, and today's result has shown yet again that nobody should never forget that," beamed Peterhansel after the rally. "Although Carlos made an error, we were in a position to profit from it because we refused to give up trying. We pushed hard all the way and tried to keep the pressure on him as much as possible... It's obviously nice to have won, but I am actually happier with the fact that this victory is an ideal way to mark the end of the career of the Pajero/Montero Evolution. It's been a super car to drive over the years and I owe it so much. This is the best possible way to say thank you for all that!"

"It hasn't been an easy week," added Peterhansel's co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret. "The conditions were very slippery throughout, especially when we were running first on the road. It was vital to stay totally concentrated from start to finish and not make any mistakes"

Osamu Nakayama (Japan), the President of MMSP SAS, was also pleased to see the Pajero/Montero Evolution take its score to 20 cross-country rally wins since its maiden appearance on the 2002 UAE Desert Challenge, a record which includes five straight Dakar wins between 2003 and 2007: "It's the perfect way to send this great car into retirement and hand over to the brand new Racing Lancer’ which is due to makes its official debut in October," he said. "I am very pleased to have included this rally in our programme. It was very well organised and gave Stéphane, Luc and Nani a chance to showcase their ability and commitment with the 2009 Dakar fast approaching. That was the aim of coming here and everyone has fulfilled their mission to the letter."

Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France) join Peterhansel in the top-three after hitting the ground running on Day 1 (Wednesday) to give Mitsubishi an early lead following the opening stage in the mountains near Castelo Branco, northeast of Lisbon. The second leg saw the French crew maintain their advantage from the threat of Carlos Sainz and the two drivers completed Thursday's action exactly level at the top of the provisional leaderboard. The switch to sandier terrain on Friday enabled the former WRC champion to go clear in front, while Peterhansel eased into second spot, but Alphand successfully defended his footing on the podium all the way to the finish, helped on his way by an assertive second quickest time on Saturday's SS5.

"This is a great result for the whole team, and Stéphane did a fantastic job," acknowledged the French driver. "The pace was incredibly fast all week and I am pleased with my performance. We didn't make any mistakes, our Pajero/Montero Evolution ran like clockwork and our reward is a podium finish and three top-three times from six, including victory on Wednesday's stage. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone in the team. They have done a remarkable job."

Despite an eloquent second fastest time on SS2 (Thursday), Joan 'Nani' Roma and Lucas Cruz (Spain) were forced to settle for sixth place following a roll on Saturday afternoon. Their car was undamaged but the incident saw the Spanish pair drop almost 10 minutes which ended their challenge for fourth place. "We pushed as hard as we could all week and I am quite pleased with our performance, although I would obviously have preferred to finish higher up the order," remarked Roma after the finish in Portimao. "We end the event strongly but this is above all a great result for the team and a tremendous morale booster as we put the finishing touches to our preparations for January's Dakar"

The final event on Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team’s 2008 competition programme takes the squad back to Portugal for the Baja Portalegre (Thursday, October 30 - Sunday, November 2). The sixth round of the FIA Cross-Country Baja International Cup will mark the debut of the brand new diesel-powered Racing Lancer’ which is due to spearhead Mitsubishi's assault on the 2009 Dakar in South America. A single car has been entered for Stéphane Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret.

"We've won today, and I couldn't have wished for a better way to say 'adieu' to the Montero/Pajero Evolution which has enjoyed an exceptional career," concluded Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Dominique Serieys (France). "I think the main lesson to come out of this rally is the fact that our drivers are as mentally and physically strong as ever, and clearly extremely competitive, too. The priority for us now is to use the coming weeks and months to prepare thoroughly for the 2009 Dakar, and our programme includes an important test session with the new Racing Lancer in October before the Baja Portalegre."

Gallery of PAX Rally Portugal Final Leg and Awarding Ceremonies




Podium Positions
1. Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cotrett [Mitsubishi] -Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR13
2. Carlos Sainz/Michel Perin [Volkswagen] -Volkswagen Race Touareg 2
3. Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard [Mitsubishi] -Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR13

3 Race Touareg to start in Portugal's PAX Rally 2008

Dakar Series: Three Volkswagen Race Touareg to start in Portugal
By fielding three Race Touareg vehicles, Volkswagen is tackling another new challenge in cross-country rally racing while preparing for the 2009 Dakar Rally: The second rally of the Dakar series, which will lead through Portugal from 09 to 14 September, will be contested by the factory duos of Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (E/F), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D) and Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (D/D) with the diesel prototype that has already been victorious twice in 2008.

The rally from Lisbon to Portimão will feature approximately 1,000 timed kilometres on five competition days. In April 2008, the Volkswagen Duo Sainz/Périn had won the first rally of the Dakar series, the Central Europe Rally through Hungary and Romania. The German duo Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk in its first event in the Race Touareg had finished the rally in third place. Seven of the seven possible stage victories went to the Race Touareg powered by a 280-hg TDI diesel engine.

"The first round of the Dakar Series was marked by extremely fierce competition, exemplary organisation and challenging terrain,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "We’re pleased to accept the challenge of this second new competition run by the ‘Dakar’ organiser ASO, which again promises to deliver first-class cross-country rally racing. What’s more, before the 2009 ‘Dakar’ in South America this rally offers another opportunity to match our capabilities with our main rivals, Mitsubishi and X-Raid BMW, in toughest competitive conditions. We’re looking forward to this comparison because we’ve won four of our five past rallies and want to add another victory to this tally.”

Preparation for the 2009 Dakar Rally in South America

After winning the Central Europe Rally with Sainz/Périn in April and the exploit clinched by Villiers/Zitzewitz at the Rallye dos Sertões in Brazil, the rally in Portugal marks the third competition in the 2008 season for Volkswagen and another step in preparing for the next Dakar Rally, which will lead through Argentina and Chile in January 2009, offering truly new terrain to the contenders.

"The motto, ‘expect the unexpected’, is a crucial aspect of marathon rally racing,” says Kris Nissen. "Drivers, co-drivers, engineers, logisticians and mechanics must adjust to new conditions on a daily basis. Like the Central Europe Rally and particularly the Rallye dos Sertões, the upcoming rally is an acid test for the entire team. In Portugal, under high pressure from our rivals, we will again have to prove that we’re ready for the next ‘Dakar’.”

Volkswagen will field five Race Touareg vehicles in the Central Europe Rally

Volkswagen will field five Race Touareg vehicles in the Central Europe Rally leading through Hungary and Romania from 20 to 26 April.

In addition, Volkswagen in the 2008 season will enter two factory vehicles in the cross-country "Rallye dos Sertoes” in Brazil from 18 to 28 June and intensively prepare for the 2009 Dakar Rally to be run through Argentina and Chile for the first time from 03 to 18 January.

"The Central Europe Rally represents a new challenge in cross-country rally sport, and we look forward to this challenge. We will field four factory vehicles and enter a fifth Race Touareg for the customer team Lagos,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "After the cancellation of the ‘Dakar’ in January our team is extremely motivated to show our strong performance capabilities. The new rally gives us an interesting and demanding platform for this.” After starting in Budapest on 20 April, the rally will be run over a 3,000-kilometre distance through Hungary and Romania and will end at Lake Balaton on 26 April.
Preparation for ASO rally with tests in Hungary

Volkswagen will field the five Race Touareg 2 vehicles originally planned for the 30th running of the Dakar Rally that was cancelled at short notice due to terrorist threat warnings. The four-wheel-drive prototypes powered by 280-hp TDI diesel engines will be driven by the 2007 cross-country world cup winners Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France) as well as by Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa/Germany), Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa) and by Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk (Germany/Germany). The cockpit of the Lagos Touareg will be occupied by Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (Portugal/Germany). The preparations for the Central Europe Rally will include tests in Hungary.

The Central Europe Rally will be organised by the ASO, the French organiser of the Dakar Rally. With regard to organisation, safety/security and marketing, the new ASO rally in Hungary and Romania is to be on a par with the standards of the Dakar Rally. Kris Nissen: "We welcome the decision of the ASO to offer the Central Europe Rally as another opportunity to engage in top-calibre cross-country rally sport in addition to the highlight of the season, the traditional Dakar Rally.”

Volkswagen clinched 10 of 14 possible stage win in 2007 Dakar

In the 2007 Dakar Rally Volkswagen – having clinched ten of 14 possible stage victories and leading the event for eight days – was the dominant team in the field, but in the overall classification the factory team headed by Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen was not rewarded for its performance.



After 8,000 kilometres factory driver Mark Miller (USA) and his co-driver Ralph Pitchford (South Africa) in the Race Touareg 2, as the make’s best pairing, finished in fourth place overall. Prior to this, a defect on a cam follower in the valve train of the diesel engine, which had never occurred before in countless kilometres of testing and competition, had robbed the German automotive manufacturer that had been successfully defending its lead up to this point of all chances for victory.



On all the competition days and in highly varied terrain the Race Touareg powered by a 285-hp 2.5-litre TDI turbodiesel engine had been proving its strengths: From the first to the eighth stage the Volkswagen drivers were leading the 29th running of the desert classic. In the final analysis, this shows a significant improvement over the prior year when the squad finished with five days of leading the rally and five stage victories. On the ninth stage both of the best-placed Race Touareg prototypes were struck by an identical engine defect that caused them to suffer an unrecoverable set-back: Giniel de Villiers (South Africa), runner-up in last year’s ‘Dakar’, with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz (Germany), who had been leading with a half-hour advantage up to that point, and Carlos Sainz (Spain) with co-driver Michel Périn (France), who had been running in second place up to the eighth stage.



In the following chase to make up ground the factory team and the drivers gave proof of their unbroken sporting spirit: In a fantastic showing Carlos Sainz – in his second "Dakar” the front runner from the third to the sixth day of the competition and two-time stage winner up to that point – delivered a series of three further stage victories, starting with the twelfth leg. In the end, the Spaniard finished in ninth position overall. Giniel de Villiers, who clinched four stage wins, including two of the three most difficult stages in Mauritania, and was leading the field on the seventh and eighth stages, ultimately improved from 13th to eleventh position.


Carlos Sousa/Andy Schulz

The Portuguese Carlos Sousa and his German co-driver Andy Schulz proved that in a customer-run Race Touareg 2 excellent showings are possible as well. The duo from the Portugese Lagos Team, for whose fielding the German squad of Phoenix Sport headed by Team Director Ernst Moser was responsible, won the first stage, had the overall lead on the rally’s first two days and defended third place up to the sixth stage. On the seventh stage the duo got stuck in the sand but was able to free itself. In the heavy sandstorm, though, the driver and co-driver unfortunately lost sight of each other and a lot of time in the process of looking for one another. Sousa/Schulz finished the rally at the famous Lac Rose in seventh place overall.

The four-time Dakar Rally winner Ari Vatanen from Finland in the fourth Race Touareg, navigated by his Italian co-driver Fabrizia Pons, on the second stage dropped back to 113th place after a driving mistake while passing through water. On the seventh day a fire of the vehicle put a premature end to the duo’s running.

-Volkswagen Motorsports

2007 Volkswagen Passat R36 (UK)

Volkswagen is set to release its most potent ‘R’ model yet – the Passat R36. Joining the Golf R32 and only the second model in the Volkswagen line-up to carry the ‘R’ badge the new car will be not only the fastest Passat but also the fastest estate car Volkswagen has ever produced.

The basis for the R36 is a new 3.6-liter FSI V6 engine developing 300 bhp. It’s mated to an ultra-responsive, six-speed DSG gearbox channeling drive through all four wheels to maximize traction. At each corner are revised springs and dampers linked to uprated brake discs and calipers to add more bite under heavy deceleration.

Clothing the mechanical changes is a bespoke bodykit which at the front incorporates a trio of deep airdams drawing a family resemblance with the Golf R32. Deep sideskirts and chrome highlights are framed by unique 18-inch wheels wrapped in 235/40 R18 tires. At the rear a deeper bumper houses a pair of chrome-tipped tailpipes and revised light lenses.

Gripping the driver and front seat passenger are a set of sculpted sports seats bearing the R36 logo. The dashboard is finished in brushed aluminum panels set into which are a set of unique dials joined by a sports steering wheel and bespoke ‘R’ polished pedals.

Equipment levels, as with the standard Passat, remain high with ABS, ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program), Xenon headlights, 2Zone electronic climate control, a heated windscreen and seats, six airbags and a radio/CD player.

The R36 takes its place as the fastest production Passat with a claimed 0 to 62 mph time of 5.6 seconds. It electronically limited to maximum of 155 mph.

The Passat R36 makes its public debut at the Essen Motorshow on November 30th. Prices will be announced closer to the UK launch in 2007.

Super 2000s Race at Condroz

In an unusual rally-long battle at the Condroz Rally in Belgium this weekend, Bryan Bouffier and Freddy Loix enjoyed a remarkable fight - for the honour of fastest zero car.

Armed with the latest Super 2000 cars - respectively the prototype Peugeot 207 RCup and the VW Polo S2000 on its first appearance outside South Africa, these cars provided more than just enjoyment for the drivers and spectators. This was an opportunity for the FIA's newly-formed Permanent Bureau (announced at the World Motor Sport Council meeting on 18 October) to further study the relative performances of the Super 2000 and Group N specifications of car. Both Super 2000 and Group N will be eligible for the 2007 FIA Production car World Rally Championship.

Of the two Super 2000 cars, the Polo driven by veteran Belgian driver Freddy Loix was usually quicker than the 207 driven by the Frenchman, who had not competed on these stages before. Originally it was hoped that Loix would make the competition debut for the Polo in Europe but last-minute homologation delays prevented this from happening. The Peugeot had always been scheduled to appear in actual competition after 1st January 2007.

On virtually every stage of the rally, the quickest Group N was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX of former J-WRC driver Larry Cols. This gave a steady yardstick to compare the relative performance of the heavier turbocharged Group N cars and the lighter, normally aspirated Super 2000s.

As it transpired, stage times recorded by the organisers for the zero cars indicated a remarkable similarity between the cars of Loix and Cols, both experienced over the stages. A spokesman for Rene Georges, the company running Loix' Polo, admitted the team had an advantage over Cols, in that they were permitted longer service intervals. He also said that as it had only received the car three weeks prior to the event and had one day useful testing, he felt that there was still potential to come but that the company was pleasantly surprised that the car was so competitive.

Unusual in another respect, the Condroz organisers allowed World Rally Cars to run on an FIA regional championship event, and these cars took the top three places, headed by Francois Duval in a Skoda Fabia WRC.

-WRC.com