Wolfsburg, Germany - Dakar champion Volkswagen on Saturday said that they would be entering the 2010 Dakar rally.

The German car manufacturer finished one-two in this year's race, which was held in Argentina and Chile and will again be staged there next year.

There was some speculation that Volkswagen, for whom South African Giniel De Villiers won their first-ever Dakar rally this year at their sixth attempt, would follow Mitsubishi, who announced a month ago that they would pull out of the race next year.

Martin Winterkorn, the chairman of the board of directors of Volkswagen, said that they had decided to compete again next year.

"The 2009 Dakar rally undoubtedly ensured that our brand is even better known throughout the world." (dpa)