24 days until the 2010 Dakar Rally
Thirty-one years ago on 26 December 1978 the first ever Dakar Rally started from the Place du Trocadéro.
At the same time Volkswagen was busy working on direct injection technology, which the brand offers under the name TDI since 1991. Nobody would probably have expected at that time that exactly 30 years after the inaugural event a diesel rally vehicle would triumph. However, it is exactly with this pioneering achievement that Volkswagen wrote history in January 2009 with the Race Touareg and Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz. Continue reading ‘Volkswagen’s pioneering achievement in the toughest rally called Dakar’
The triumph in South America was followed by an enthusiastic reception in Wolfsburg: The Volkswagen executive board around Chairman Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn welcomed Motorsport Director Kris Nissen and Dirk von Zitzewitz at the Group’s headquarters.
Last weekend, the German co-driver, together with his driver Giniel de Villiers (ZA), had won the Dakar Rally with a Volkswagen Race Touareg 2. It was the first triumph of a diesel-powered car in the 30-year history of the classic rally that was staged for the first time in Argentina and Chile.
Continue reading ‘Volkswagen board receives Dakar winners in Wolfsburg’
Von Zitzewitz, Pitchford, Nissen, Miller, de VilliersAs Volkswagen Motorsport Director, Kris Nissen is the man behind the fielding of the four Race Toaureg vehicles – and the one-two victory clinched by Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA).
What were the three best moments of the Dakar Rally for you?
Kris Nissen: “The start was one of the outstanding moments of the ‘Dakar’ straight from the outset because you could feel a whole country joining in the celebration. The ‘Dakar’ is known the world over, and everyone in Argentina and Chile wanted to witness the event ‘live’. Another moment occurred four or five days later when we realised that our preparation was paying off and that the team and the car were functioning perfectly. The third good moment was when we learned that Carlos Sainz and Michel Périn’s accident did not result in any severe damage to their health. This is very important for anyone in a position of responsibility in as large a team as Volkswagen’s. And then there was a fourth special moment – the arrival at the finish. That was simply an incredibly good feeling.”
Continue reading ‘Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen and his thoughts on Dakar 2009′
