VW Chalk Up First Diesel Victory In Dakar Rally

Giniel de Villiers has emerged triumphant in the Dakar Rally – the first South African to do so – thus ending Mitsubishi’s seven-year domination of the event. In another first, his VW Touareg was the first diesel-powered car to win the Dakar.

de Villiers finished nearly nine minutes ahead of teammate Mark Miller and Robby Gordon in his Hummer was third. In the motorbike section, Marc Coma finished more than an hour ahead of defending champion Cyril Despres.

This year’s rally was moved from Africa to South America because of fears of terrorist attacks in Mauritania but it was no easy option, with de Villiers describing it as “the toughest I’ve ever contested”.