Volkswagen has always played a major role in the Baja 1000, and for 2009, it will enter the first diesel-powered trophy truck, which will leave the starting line two days after its L.A. auto show press unveiling.

First illustrations show that this Touareg has very little in common with those that VW has developed for the Dakar rally. The Baja Touareg looks similar to the series production model, but its dimensions are extended by about ten percent. "It looks like an XL-sized Touareg," says a VW spokesman.

The Touareg Trophy Truck is rear-wheel-drive, with power coming from a 5.5-liter V-12 that’s closely related to the engine in the Le Mans–winning Audi R10 TDI. Output from the mid-mounted powerplant measures 550 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque. For a racing engine, this is a wickedly quiet unit that emits little sound apart from the whir of turbochargers working overtime. Unlike gasoline-powered entrants, whose fuel-tank size is unlimited, diesel-powered vehicles are limited to 65 gallons in the Baja 1000.

A pair of such Touaregs will be driven by Mark Miller (co-pilot: Willie Valdez Jr.) and Ryan Arciero (co-pilot: Benny Metcalf Jr.)—all experienced American racers. Arciero Miller Racing in Foothill Ranch, California, built the chassis; the engines were prepared in Germany.

VW will release more details at this monster's launch in Los Angeles. A few days later, we will see the crazy Touareg in action. There may be 631.35 miles to cover, but only 19.13 of them have a speed limit.

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