VW has just announced that the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 debut will take place on August 20 in Trier (100 AD). They have also released a new teaser image of the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 that's supposed to be more powerful than the current version. The racer will continue to be diesel powered. VW also says the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 will have a new face, meaning it will adopt the front fascia of the new version of the road-going SUV.
The company has also announced today the teams that will try to get the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 to its third Dakar rally victory in a row. The Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 will be driven by Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D),
Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA).
Volkswagen Press Release:
Remember Ben Hur? Gladiators clad in racing overalls, an almost 2000-year old arena and right in the middle – the new Race Touareg 3.
In front of an impressive setting, inside the ancient amphitheatre in Trier (100 AD), Volkswagen will present the title defender for the 2011 Dakar Rally on 20 August. More powerful and with a new look, the cross-country rally prototype shows itself well prepared for clinching the third Dakar victory in a row. As early as in 2009 and 2010 Volkswagen has been the only manufacturer so far to have decided the automobile classification of the Dakar Rally in its favour with diesel technology.
Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: "Our aim is the hat-trick at the Dakar”
The ceremonial unveiling, which starts at 8.30 p.m., will feature all four Volkswagen driver pairings striving for Volkswagen's third consecutive diesel victory at the legendary desert rally through South America in January 2011: last year's winners Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA).
"With the Race Touareg 3 we've completed the next step in the evolution of a technology that has
already been successful,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "Particularly in respect of aerodynamics we've reached the next level and improved the qualities of the predecessor yet again. This effort has produced a spectacular outer skin and an updated technical core. With the ‘RT3' we'll tackle our big aim: the hat-trick at the Dakar Rally!”
Rally environment and historic setting: the "RT3” meets the public eye
The official presentation of the Race Touareg 3 will take place as part of the WRC Rally Germany. At the amphitheatre in Trier the modern motorsport gladiators will meet with their historic role models in a spectacular show.
A special attraction: the event will not only be open to media representatives but to a large public audience as well. Immediately after the presentation the Race Touareg 3 will embark on a journey to Russia where it will celebrate its eagerly awaited competitive debut at the Silk Way Rally from 11 to 18 September.
