VW to sponsor Sochi 2014 Olympics

VW had been a partner of the 2008 Olympcis

Carmaker Volkswagen has become a top-tier backer of the 2014 Winter Olympics held in the Russian city of Sochi.

Games organisers said VW Rus would provide the committee with about 3,000 vehicles for use during preparations for the Olympics and during the games.

The vehicles will include the VW, Audi and Skoda brands, with the majority produced in Kaluga, Russia.

Financial details were not revealed, but the games now has domestic sponsorship deals worth $750m.

'Strong presence'

Other big names signed up to back the games include energy giant Rosneft and airline Aeroflot.

"This is a major agreement for Sochi 2014 in an important category. Volkswagen is one of the world's best-known companies, with a strong presence in Russia," said the Sochi games' chief finance officer Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Volkswagen was the official automobile partner of the Olympic Summer Games 2008 in Beijing.

"The Olympic Games in Sochi will help us to demonstrate our automotive competence and the strong connection with Russia and our Russian consumers," said Dietmar Korzekwa of Volkswagen Group Rus.