UAE - 31 October 2006: Warm-up for the Dakar Rally: The Volkswagen factory team contests the UAE Desert Challenge, the FIA Cross Country Rally World Championship finale in the United Arab Emirates between the 5 and 10 November, with two Race Touareg 2 prototypes. Carlos Sainz/Michel Prin (Spain/France) and Volkswagen's new September signing Ari Vatanen (Finland) and his Italian co-driver Fabrizia Pons will be competing.

"The UAE Desert Challenge is the traditional dress-rehearsal for the Dakar Rally. We'll be up against the Mitsubishi factory team there, so this rally is a type of performance check", explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "We want to give Carlos Sainz, who is more accustomed to classic rally stages after having competed so successfully in the World Rally Championship, another opportunity to drive in sand. After all, this rally is dominated by a vast sandy landscape filled with dunes. The UAE Desert Challenge represents the best opportunity for Ari Vatanen to drive the Race Touareg 2 in a competitive environment after the intensive test programme."

Following the prologue in Dubai and the actual start in Abu Dhabi, a total of five legs covering 1,520 special-stage kilometres through the United Arab Emirate desert between 5 and 10 November are on the agenda. After a total of 2,443 kilometres the teams are expected at the finish in Dubai on Friday, 10 November. While double Rally World Champion Carlos Sainz makes his UAE Desert Challenge debut, the four-time "Dakar" winner Ari Vatanen scored a win there in 1997. Competing alongside the Volkswagen factory team is the Portuguese Team Lagos with Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz (Portugal/ Germany) in another Race Touareg 2 run by Phoenix Sport (Germany).

However, before making the journey to the United Arab Emirates another test looms for the Volkswagen squad. From 21 to 27 October the four Volkswagen factory duos of Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa/ Germany), Carlos Sainz/Michel Prin, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ South Africa and Ari Vatanen/Fabrizia Pons will reel off more test kilometres through sand and camel grass in El Borma and Ksar Ghilane, Tunisia. "As a result all drivers and co-drivers will have the perfect opportunity to get in tune with Race Touareg and team before the Dakar Rally, optimise procedures and to implement the latest technical developments in their car set-up", says Kris Nissen.

Andreas Prinz, Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East, confirmed the importance of this event to the regional Volkswagen family. "The UAE Desert Challenge," he said, "represents the biggest challenge in the region to vehicles. Man and machine have to become one to conquer the most difficult challenges the sand has to offer. As the Middle East's most dedicated manufacturer, Volkswagen Middle East anticipates a great result for the Motorsport team. Their continued presence in this event is another feather in the cap of the regional Volkswagen operation, and is typical of our desert-conquering endurance."

Volkswagen Middle East will be bringing the challenge to your comfort at home or at work with constantly updated information of the race hosted on Volkswagen Middle East official website: http://www.volkswagen-me.com. Join us in this exciting event and be up-to-date, not to mention all the information you will find on Volkswagen Middle East website.

-Ends-

For additional information, please contact:
Iris Kraska
Director Marketing & PR
Volkswagen Middle East
Tel: +971 4 204 5920
Fax: +971 4 204 5898
E-Mail:  iris.kraska@volkswagen.avme.ae
Website: http://www.volkswagen-me.com

u-communicate PR
For Volkswagen Middle East
Sonali Rekhi
Tel: +971 4 2831661
Email: Sonali_rekhi@ucommunicate.ae

Please also register on Volkswagen's international press website at www.volkswagen-media-services.com.

© Press Release 2006