Volkswagen has claimed the overall victory of the 2011 event. That is the third time in a row that VW wins the title. What’s more is they’ve also defended the 1-2-3 podium lock-out result of last year. So big congratulations to the Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk and indeed the Race Touarg 3.

Since the event moved to South America Volkswagen has had it all to itself winning every year. This year four diesel-powered Race Touareg 3s competed, and completed, the gruelling 9,600 kilometer course through Argentina and Chile, winning 12 out of the 13 stages between them and remaining at the top of the timesheets throughout.

Al-Attiyah, the talented Qatari driver who started out his career in the Middle East Rally and worked his way up, is the first ever Arab to win the Dakar Rally in the 33 year history of the event.

Final result after leg 13, Córdoba (RA)–Buenos Aires (RA); 181/826 km SS 13/total

Pos Team Vehicle Leg 13 Total time
1 Al-Attiyah / Gottschalk (Q/D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 1h 16m 46s (2) 45h 16m 16s
2 de Villiers / von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 1h 18m 06s (4) + 49m 41s
3 Sainz / Cruz (E/E) Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 1h 16m 08s (1) + 1h 20m 38s
4 Peterhansel / Cottret (F/F) BMW X3 CC 1h 19m 05s (6) + 1h 43m 48s
5 Holowczyc / Fortin (PL/B) BMW X3 CC 1h 17m 33s (3) + 4h 11m 21s
6 Miller / Pitchford (USA/ZA) Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 1h 18m 10s (5) + 4h 54m 42s
7 dos Santos / Fiuza (P/P) BMW X3 CC 1h 27m 16s (11) + 6h 50m 07s
8 Lavieille / Polato (F/F) Nissan Proto 1h 25m 07s (10) + 7h 57m 18s
9 Spinelli / Haddad (BR/BR) Mitsubishi Racing Lancer 1h 20m 06s (7) + 8h 23m 37s
10 Kahle / Schünemann (D/D) Buggy SMG 1h 28m 02s (12) + 15h 11m 56s



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