July 13, 2005 – When North America’s fastest cyclists take to the streets of Gastown for the famous Tour de Gastown bike race, the leader of the pack will be a sporty new biodiesel-equipped Volkswagen Jetta pace car.

The Tour de Gastown is Canada’s richest one-day bike race, which attracts crowds of 30,000 annually and has a star-studded list of past winners like six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. Volkswagen Canada is providing two Jetta pace cars as part of its two-year primary sponsorship of the race.

Volkswagen’s support of cycling across Canada includes sponsorship of Quebec ‘s powerful VW-Trek cycling team, the Canada-Quebec Mountain Bike Cup at Mont-Tremblant, and three Summer Challenges organized by Velo Quebec.

“We’re pleased to sponsor such a prestigious race,” said Denis Barnard, Area Manager for Volkswagen. “Our vehicles are built for customers who are outgoing, independent thinkers that are young at heart and want to be a little bit different. Our biodiesel Jetta pace car is just one example of our commitment to maximize the significant environmental, economic and quality-related benefits of biodiesel usage.”

“Mind you, at Volkswagen, performance is just as important, and I invite everyone to join me at the Volkswagen Hairpin in turn one to see just how impressively our 2006 Jettas handle the tight turns and high speeds of the Tour de Gastown.”

Volkswagen is the world’s largest seller of diesel passenger vehicles with up to 40 per cent of specific models sold in Canada being diesel equipped. The company believes that cleaner diesel blends make these cars a better option than gasoline-electric hybrids.

Biodiesel is a fuel mixture made by combining diesel petroleum with natural or renewable resources such as rapeseed oil (commonly known as canola) or soybean oil. The use of such cleaner burning biodiesel, which can power conventional diesel engines, is environmentally friendly, substantially reduces emissions of carbon monoxide and particulate matter, and helps reduce overall global dependence on fossil fuels.

For more information, visit www.vw.ca and www.tourdegastown.com.