Official vehicles for the 2008 Olympics

Two months ahead of the Olympic torch arriving in China, Volkswagen unveiled the first convoy vehicles with Olympic design to the public. These models will be part of 1,000 cars which will accompany the Olympic flame gradually on its way across China.

The presentation on Thursday in Beijing was attended by Mr WANG Wei, Executive Vice-President and Secretary General of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG), Dr. Winfried Vahland, President & CEO Volkswagen Group China, Mr AN Tiecheng, President of FAW-Volkswagen, and Mr LIU Jian, Managing Director of Shanghai Volkswagen. Volkswagen and its joint ventures were nominated at the event as official supplier for the torch relay.

346 vehicles will be used for the core convoys, while 583 will serve as administration and support cars, while another 30 will be used for security and media purposes. 40 convoys will be formed in the course of the relay through China.

Ten Volkswagen Crafter will be especially equipped to host media and camera teams and to serve as security vehicles. The Volkswagen Touran, Passat Lingyu and Skoda Octavia will be provided by Shanghai Volkswagen, while FAW-Volkswagen put the Volkswagen Magotan, Sagitar and Audi vehicles at disposal. Volkswagen Crafter and Multivans will be provided as imported vehicles. To assure technical support and service around the clock Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen will also provide a dedicated team of professionals, comprised of more than 200 of the company’s best technical support and after sales service staff.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will last 97 days in total and will cover more than 40,000 kilometers. The flame will arrive in Sanya in the South of China on May 4 and will arrive in Beijing on August 8. It will be carried through 113 cities and regions from all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China and will be carried also on top of the Mount Everest.

Credits: Jarvis