SA-built rally Polo takes big win in Europe

Brussels, Belgium - A Polo S2000-R designed and built by VW Racing in South Africa has scored its first overall victory in the TAC Rally, the second round of the 2007 Belgian championship.

It was entered by the Belgian VW/Audi Club and by René Georges Rally Sport.

In a new event for former World Rally Championship star Freddy Loix, an attitude of maximum attack was employed. The car ran faultlessly throughout the 153km of special stages on narrow tar roads to win the event by over 50 seconds from Larry Cols in the super fast Group A Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9.

Perhaps the biggest victory was the success over the S2000 Fiat Grande Punto driven by 2006 Champion Pieter Tsjoen.

The Polo was about 0.75sec faster per kilometre than the Fiat. The car, built by VW Racing in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, is already well-known in Europe thanks to its excellent performances and good looks.

The Spanish news media have even said "the King of Africa" has arrived.

Results:

1 F Loix/R Buysmans - VW Polo S2000 - 1hr24min54.7.

2 L Cols/Dejalle - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII +58.6sec.

3 P Tsjoen/E Chevalier- Fiat Grande Punto S2000 +1min09.0.