Volkswagen Defends “Dakar” Title With 1-2-3 Finish, Carlos Sainz wins the race

Subscribe to our RSS feed or get updates by Email for all the latest spy photos, videos, news and reviews!

Volkswagen has won the legendary Dakar Rally for the second time in succession and including 1980 for a third time. Their TDI powered Race Touareg’s celebrated a one-two-three podium lockout at the finish of the toughest challenge worldwide in motorsport.

Carlos Sainz(with the co-driver Lucas Cruz) who is already a two-time World Rally Champion won the race by only 2 minutes 12 seconds ahead of his team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) in a thrilling finale on the closing 202 kilometre sprint on the 14th and final rally day.

Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) finished in the third position. Last year’s winners Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) finished seventh.

Final standings after stage 14, Santa Rosa (RA)–Buenos Aires (RA); 202/707 km SS/total
Pos.; Team; Vehicle; Leg 14; Total time
1 Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 1h 20m 18s (2) 47h 10m 00s
2 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 1h 19m 42s (1) + 2m 12s
3 Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 1h 21m 21s (5) + 32m 51s
4 Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-P. Cottret (F/F) BMW X3 CC 1h 20m 50s (4) + 2h 17m 21s
5 Guerlain Chicherit/Tina Thörner (F/S) BMW X3 CC 1h 20m 25s (3) + 4h 02m 49s
6 Carlos Sousa/Matthieu Baumel (P/F) Mitsubishi Racing Lancer 1h 25m 31s (15) + 4h 31m 45s
7 Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 1h 21m 23s (6) + 5h 10m 19s
8 Robby Gordon/Andy Grider (USA/USA) Hummer 1h 21m 40s (7) + 6h 02m 24s
9 Orlando Terranova/Pascal Maimon (RA/F) Mitsubishi Racing Lancer 1h 22m 10s (8) + 6h 04m 47s
10 Guilherme Spinelli/Filipe Palmeiro (BR/P) Mitsubishi Racing Lancer 1h 24m 50s (13) + 6h 13m 41s

VW is the only manufacturer to have won the car category of the Dakar Rally with diesel power. Other successes with diesel cars for the group include Audi’s Le Mans victories between 2006 and 2008 and winning the World Touring Car Championship with SEAT in 2008 and 2009.