From the Volkswagen bivouac
New Year`s greetings from the Volkswagen works team in eight languages:
Carlos Sainz (Spain): “Feliz Año Nuevo”
Tina Thörner (Sweden): “Gott Nytt År”
Giniel de Villiers (South Africa): “Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar!”
Mark Miller (USA): “Happy New Year”
Fabrizia Pons (Italy): “Felice anno nuovo”
Jutta Kleinschmidt (Germany): “Frohes Neues Jahr”
Bruno Saby (France): “Bonne Année 2006”
Kris Nissen (Denmark): “Godt nytår”

Record number of starters
At the Dakar Rally`s first start in Portugal a record number of starters set of their travels: 475 competition vehicles (232 motorbikes, 174 cars and 69 trucks) with 775 competitors rolled off the start ramp. A total of 108 assistance vehicles and 129 Service-Trucks also set of for Dakar.

New Year`s Eve in Portimao
The Volkswagen works team welcomed in the New Year together over an evening meal at the team hotel in Portimao. One of the evening`s highlights: The television coverage from the first stage, in which Volkswagen works driver Carlos Sainz claimed victory, was shown during the festive celebrations. For the Volkswagen works team it was time to say goodbye: The rally armada travels by ferry to Africa on New Year`s Day, family, guests and partners who attended, along with extra technicians, the European stages now travel home.


Tags: volkswagen, dakar, jutta-kleinschmidt, fabrizia-pons, mark-miller, dirk-von-zitzewitz, bruno-saby, michel-perin, carlos-sainz, andreas-schulz, giniel-de-villiers, tina-thorner,