The 2011 Dakar Rally will have 430 assorted two- and four-wheel vehicles at the start line in Buenos Aires on New Year’s Day, organisers of the event billed as the biggest of its kind in the world announced yesterday.

Some 146 cars, 183 bikes, 68 lorries and 33 quad bikes will be taking part in the gruelling two-week trek across Argentina and Chile with the finish back in Buenos Aires on January 16.

This level of interest represents an 18 per cent increase on the number of competitors who took part in this year’s edition with the rise put down to a stronger entry from South America.

A total of 51 different nationalities are set to take part. The ship ferrying vehicles from Europe will set sail from the French port of Le Havre for the Argentine capital next Monday.

Organisers are predicting four million spectators will turn out to watch this latest edition of the rally which was moved to South America from its traditional home in Africa in 2009 due to security issues.

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