Dakar VW Touaregs entered in the Baja 500!!

[Chase 2]

All the top contenders in the Dakar races are 4WD.

Sorry but that is just flat wrong. Jean Louis Schlesser has won the Dakar with 2 wheel drive, and he placed how well in the last one?? JLS has done very well running a non-factory backed 2 wheel drive with a big gasoline V-8 through the same sized restrictor plate as Robby, and JLS doesn't have all the wind tunnel help, but then he's not trying to race a shoe box either!

As far as getting stuck is concerned, they all get stuck, not just the 2 wheel drives.

Make no mistake, these are world class cars driven by some of the best drivers in the world. They will be VERY competetive.

Word

As far as the technical stuff here is a link to VW's site: Volkswagen-motorsport.com

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[Chase 2]

The Tourages will do good, but I dont think that they are capable of an OA. They would have to hope for some major fallout.

When winning in Baja it’s usually the fastest guy who didn’t have a problem is the winner.

As for nerfing... I think that they will have a target on them by virtue of all of the hype that they will get. The is no way that the class 1 guy's are going to resist that, especially if they catch the VW's in a rough section, their little way of saying "welcome VW".

Why does everyone seem to think that a 4x4 Touareg is going to be slow in the rough??

If the VW's do good it will be bad for the independant racers, All of the FIA factory teams will flock to Baja to "teach" Baja racers. The factories will raise the bar even higher than it is now just to earn their place in the history books. Baja's legend is known throughout the world. The Europeans would love to reign supreme down south, and "show" the American off road racers how to do it. Good luck with that! lol!

Wasn’t the intent of the Trophy Truck Class was to have a class where the Big Factory teams could race against each other with out smushing the little independent racers?? The independents seem to be doing pretty well don’t they?? And what’s wrong with raising the bar? Finally remember this is Mark Miller showing the Euro’s how to use their stuff in Baja.

[PBR]

i think that chase 2 hit the nail on the head and what a lot of you aren't getting is that this is not the "euro's" coming over to teach americans how to do it. this is MARK MILLER showing vw how to do it right. there is no learning curve, he knows the vehicle, he knows the terrain and he knows how to win.

[partybarge_pilot]

The VW Dakar site says 285 HP, >600 nm of torque (someone else can do the conversion to ft. lbs.), 2500 cm3 displacement, 6 speed gearbox, permanent 4WD, and dual turbochargers....

600NM=442.5FTLB

[Mark_Miller]

I love the thread. Very cool. I am an American! The VW platform started 4 wheel racing in Baja and has more class wins than any other mfg! Class 1 doesn’t need to worry, I can assure you we won’t be holding anyone up. See you down there!

[200MPHTape]

Wasn’t the intent of the Trophy Truck Class was to have a class where the Big Factory teams could race against each other with out smushing the little independent racers?? The independents seem to be doing pretty well don’t they?? And what’s wrong with raising the bar? Finally remember this is Mark Miller showing the Euro’s how to use their stuff in Baja.

Do Ford,Chevy or Dodge acctually sponcer any TT's? Or do they just use them for commercials?

I love the thread. Very cool. I am an American! The VW platform started 4 wheel racing in Baja and has more class wins than any other mfg! Class 1 doesn’t need to worry, I can assure you we won’t be holding anyone up. See you down there!

I hope you guys have a "LOUD" horn for passing those noises TT's, Good Luck Mark!

[Ronin]

I love the thread. Very cool. I am an American! The VW platform started 4 wheel racing in Baja and has more class wins than any other mfg! Class 1 doesn’t need to worry, I can assure you we won’t be holding anyone up. See you down there!

Good luck to you Mark!! You are a class act and no matter what happens it will be interesting!!

[REEVESRacing]

I love the thread. Very cool. I am an American! The VW platform started 4 wheel racing in Baja and has more class wins than any other mfg! Class 1 doesn’t need to worry, I can assure you we won’t be holding anyone up. See you down there!

This is GREAT for the sport. Thanks to AM Racing, glad to see VW here!

Enjoyed the interview on the TORR Radio, look forward to cking. out the cars.

They are also talking about this throughout Baja too! El Pato Rojo / Gabriel Garcia

(Google "Translate" will "rough" translate that entire web page for you, and nice link to VW, but no mention of Baja on their site?)

[fashionbiff]

I think that this is going to be great to see. I can not wait to see them run, they have a job ahead of them but Mark will have them ready to go.
I hope they do OK I do not wnat to see them spank the TTs or 1s but I guess we will find out this time next month. Good Luck Mark

[Mark Newhan]

Chase 2,

The Tourages don't look very fast in the rough enviroment, If you watched the last couple of Dakar's you could easily determine that they wont be as fast as our unlimited cars. By virtue of the limited wheel travel gives them the disadvantage that people on this board are referring to. They should be very good on the roads, that is what they were built for. To think that the Europeans are somehow more sophiscated then us to the degree that they can get it done with less travel is a farce.

Mark Miller is one of the best that we have, I do not mean any disrespect to him or the VW effort. In fact I am not "bashing" the idea of the VW's coming.

As for the factoies getting involved... We have seen them come and go in SCORE, every time they pull out the leave a vaccuum. Last time I checked it cost several million dollars to compete in the Dakar Rally. If the Euro's get a wild hair to come and defeat the finest American off road racers it will surely drive the vast majority of the "Unlimited" guy away, history has demonstrated this. Our sport is the last bastian of top level motorsports that just about anyone can compete in, which is why it has grown so dramatically in the last few years. I would refer you to the article in Dirt Sports about a year ago that talked about this very issue, I think Marty Fiolka sumed it up pretty well.

Mark Miller is about as professional as a racer that we have in this sport and is, and will continue to be an asset to VW. Good luck Mark!