The Dakar Rally is one in all racing’s final true adventures. The 5,000-plus-mile cross-country rally throughout treacherous terrain takes two weeks to finish. Whereas it’s been 16 years for the reason that conventional route from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, has been used, Saudi Arabia has been an equally difficult host. It’s a problem that Ford Efficiency goes to tackle subsequent 12 months with the Ranger.
Ford Efficiency is mounting a manufacturing facility effort to win its first Dakar Rally in collaboration with M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport. (NWM) The multi-year plan will begin with a purpose-built rally-raid machine based mostly on the earlier technology world Ford Ranger. The Ranger, geared up with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, will compete in two check occasions this 12 months earlier than taking up the Dakar in January 2024. The workforce will take the teachings realized over testing and competitors to construct the Ford Ranger Raptor T1+ for the 2025 Dakar Rally.
Mark Rushbrook, International Director of Ford Efficiency Motorsports, stated:
“To steer the cost at one of many final world off-road occasions – the Dakar Rally – has been a aim of ours. We can’t underestimate the enormity of the problem forward of us. We have to end and study first with Ranger T1+ and companions like M-Sport and NWM, who deliver their experience to bear. Collectively, we are able to do superb issues within the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.”
When the Ford Ranger Raptor T1+ arrives in 2025, it can probably face stiff competitors from the opposite manufacturing facility groups within the elite T1+ class. Nasser Al-Attiyah has gained the final two Dakar Rallies with the Toyota GR DKR Hilux. Audi’s first two Dakar makes an attempt with the all-electric RS Q e-tron hasn’t led to outright success, however the prototype buggy has been a formidable presence out on levels.