VW Strengthening the Motorsport Involvement

Press Release

Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH established

To strengthen their motorsport involvement, Volkswagen AG established, with effect from 01 November 2004, the Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH. The functions of the former Volkswagen Racing GmbH and the Volkswagen AG Motorsport Department will be combined, within the framework of a new structure, in the new company.

The Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH is affiliated directly with the Overall Technical Development of the Volkswagen AG under the supervision of board member Prof. Dr. Wilfried Bockelmann. Joachim Rothenpieler, Director of Complete Vehicle Development Passenger Vehicles of Volkswagen AG, assumes the supervisory board duties for the new GmbH.

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen, who has been responsible for the race and rally activities of the Wolfsburg automobile manufacturer since July 2003, takes over the management of Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH, while Wolfgang Dressler assumes the role of Commercial Manager. Within Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH, the responsibilities for engineering rest with Eduard Weidl, for personnel and finance with Hans-Wilhelm Hilmer, for the Team Management with Peter Utoft, and for Marketing and Communication with Uwe Baldes.

Kris Nissen: "With the formation of Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH and the corresponding new structure, we have created an excellent base from which to compete in motorsport at the highest level in an objective, professional and successful way."

Volkswagen Motorsport:

The main priority of Volkswagen's motorsport activities remains in Cross Country Rally sport. Volkswagen Motorsport starts for the second time in the Dakar Rally in January with the specially developed Race-Touareg. The prototypes, powered by Diesel TDI-engines, are driven by the three former 'Dakar' winners Jutta Kleinschmidt, Juha Kankkunen and Bruno Saby. During the Race-Touareg's debut at the last Dakar Rally, Bruno Saby was sixth and Jutta Kleinschmidt scored the first stage victory. During three additional FIA Cross Country World Cup competitions in Morocco, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, Jutta Kleinschmidt scored the first podium finish, with third place, in Turkey and, in addition, a total of seven stage victories in all competitions have been recorded. Parallel to the works involvement with the Race-Touareg, Volkswagen Motorsport is committed to the support of touring car 'stars of tomorrow' and organises, within the framework of the DTM (German Touring Car Masters), the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup.