Dakar 2014 - On 4 wheels (autos & SXS)

The time is getting nigh. It is time for this thread again.

With no Robby G, I wonder who is going to be the "Character" of 2014

And who is going to give the minis a bit of elbow in the ribs

The Blue Oval Boys from South Africa have decided to follow on the success of Toyota and make a determined effort at the Dakar.
Should be interesting as Ford and Toyota are neck and neck in the South African Championship

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The poor South African Rand must be working in Glynn Hall's favour. There seem to be a lot of the South African built Toyotas riding around in the rally world at the moment

Is the bugly making another appearance? With some lessons learned now that team is certainly a contender

RG and BJ Baldwin just got back from Toyo in Japan . A partnership for Dakar ?

I spent a while looking through a lot of fan video of the cars from this year's Dakar. The point was to put together a brief highlight video. There are only a few seconds of the Mini's because they are so boring. They are obviously fantastic vehicles, but unless they are wrecking or getting passed by RG or one of the camiones they are boring. Somebody needs to drill a hole in their exhaust or make some flames shoot out the back when they accelerate or something.

The Toyotas are actually pretty fun to watch. They come screaming by and look pretty cool. If anyone ends up driving one of the Hummers let's hope they have mad skills or are crazy. The Hummer's going to sound great regardless, but RG driving like a bat out of hell is what made it epic.

Cars 1

Cars 2

RG 1

RG 2

RG 3

Nice work editing, Mike ... I like this one

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Just posted by wrk2surf in the Bivouac thread:

On Planet Robby here

The Herrator Buggy

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Highlights from last year. I'm guessing the Car/Team will probably be the same for this year?

I think its worth watching and hadn't seen it yet so, here you go.


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Here is a link to an article from Car and Drive with some really close up, interesting photos of the MINI: http://blog.caranddriver.com/dakar-wrap-up-and-the-anatomy-of-a-dakar-winning-mini-countryman/

I like the duct tape holder.

From Here: http://www.drivenews.co.za/2013/news/toyota-announces-dakar-2014-lineup/

Toyota Announces Dakar 2014 Lineup

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Following their successes in recent years which culminated in a 2nd place for Giniel de Villiers (who himself won the Dakar rally in 2009 in a Volkswagen Toureg), Toyota have entered the 2014 Dakar rally with 2 South African drivers: de Villiers and newcomer Leeroy Poulter.
Having competed previously with Giniel de Villiers and ABSA off-road competitor Duncan Vos, Toyota have seen successful competition in earlier Dakar rallies but have yet to win a Dakar rally.
Following a 2nd place for de Villiers and Vos retiring on just day 3 of the rally, Toyota have returned to the drawing board and rebuilt their Hilux to tackle Dakar 2013.
Members of the original team have been retained, including de Villiers, co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz and team boss Glynn Hall will return in 2014 with first-time Dakar driver Leeroy Poulter. Poulter will be have Duncan Vos’ 2013 co-driver Rob Howie sitting beside him.
This years route will from Rosario, Argentina to Salta for a rest day and finish in Valparaíso, from 5 to 18 January 2014.
Giniel de Villiers

Co-Driver: Dirk von Zitzewitz
Dakar History: 10 Starts, 1 Win.
Originally from: Touring cars
Leeroy Poulter

Co-Driver: Rob Howie
Dakar History: 1st Dakar rally (Toyota Imperial SA Hilux)
originally from: Motorcross & karting
Glynn Hall

Team boss: Toyota Imperial SA Dakar.



From the Goodwood 2013 Race

In Car:

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Roof Top:

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Nasser will bring the bugglys back
2 cars with Thierry Magnaldi in the water car


Carlos also seems to be coming back albeit in a SMG buggy


it is a beauty contest for sure

Here are a couple of comments from Planet Robby:

"Robby is running his new truck. Kellon Walch will be the co-driver.
Sometime after Baja ( just like every year) is when they will probably begin to send out pictures."


(Guessing about what exactly RG will be driving:)
"TOG said it is a truck. So that rules out any kind of buggy sort of car. Mike K keeps reminding it's a WRC course this year. So I lean towards a front or mid engined smaller truck."

Awesome thread!

Dakar Rally 2014: Carlos Sainz joins Red Bull SMG Rally Team for 2014.

http://www.marathonrally.com/news/23787.0.html

Brenthel Industries has racked up a string of impressive race results in 2013.

Their vehicles have competed and won on some of the most demanding courses in North America. In 2014 they will be headed south, way south, to field a race vehicle in the Dakar Rally. The Dakar Rally is one of the greatest challenges in motorsports. Racers run along the beach at sea level and crest Andean peaks. They traverse sand dunes, deserts and rock strewn mountains during sixteen separate stages of racing through Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. All maintenance and repairs are done in the field, overnight after each day’s stage. Mechanics and crew complete their work and then travel to the next bivouac to wait the racers arrival.Brenthel Industries already had a vehicle in development designed exclusively for Dakar when Jonathan Brenthel entered the 2013 Dakar Challenge. The Dakar Challenge seeks to introduce new talent into the Dakar Rally. The racer who amassed the most points in the SCORE Baja 500 and HDRA Reno 500 would qualify for an entry into the Dakar Rally. Jonathan would unfortunately finish second to class 10 competitor Peter Hajas but the two would develop a mutual respect for each other that would eventually result in a unique collaboration. After assessing what it would take to compete in the Dakar Rally, Hajas had doubts whether his class 10 car could be configured to successfully complete some of the longer stages. That’s when the idea emerged; Brenthel Industries would finish construction of their Dakar vehicle, outfit a custom support truck and provide crew and logistics; Hajas would be the driver. “I have always been impressed with Brenthel’s application of advanced technology,” said Peter Hajas, “Dakar is a marathon, it takes a different approach. Brenthel has what we needed to take on such a tremendous challenge.”The Brenthel Dakar vehicle is perfectly suited for the task at hand. Everything Brenthel manufactures goes through their meticulous development process that begins with hours of CAD design work and refinement with finite element analysis before any construction takes place. Components are cnc bent, laser notched and accurately fixtured during construction. The uniformity of parts allows any component that may be damaged in competition to be repaired quickly and easily. Dakar vehicles need to be designed and constructed to endure the punishment but also be maintained along the route. “Dakar is an incredible undertaking,” said Jonathan Brenthel, “It would have been difficult for Peter or me to undertake this challenge alone. We think it’s important to field a team of desert racers from the United States. We are going to bust our tails to get down there. We have a great foundation but we are also going to need some support from sponsors to make it happen.”American racers who have been there before like Robby Gordon and Darren Skilton have set fine examples to follow in the Dakar Rally. Brenthel hopes to add to that history of American achievement.

The Rally attracts 745 competitors from 53 nations and 4.6 million spectators. It is followed around the world with 1200 hours of broadcasting on 70 TV channels in 190 countries; it is a truly global event. Brenthel Industries is ready to step up and take on the challenge as well.

For more info on the many vehicles and services Brenthel provides go to: www.brenthelindustries.com

EVR and Jefferies Racing build new rally pickup trucks with big V8s for Dakar


Eric Vigouroux,‘Ballistic’ BJ Baldwin and Jefferies Racing have teamed up to build beefy 2WD pickup trucks to take on the 2014 Dakar. Named the EVR Proto VX 101 Rally Raid Concept the pickups will be powered by a LS7 Corvette racing engine. The transmission will be a ‘Fortin’ sequential gearbox. All the power will be fed to the rear wheels as the EVR Proto VX 101 Rally Raid Concept will compete in the 2WD category.

“After several seasons with my Chevrolet Silverado for top honours in the past years we have decided to develop and build a totally new race truck. Based on our experience Jefferies Racing in California, USA, has constructed two competition vehicles. Despite Dakar 2014 being the first real competition for the EVR Proto VX 101 Rally Raid Concept, our goal is to show the world the potential of our team.” – - Eric Vigouroux


The body is that of the oversea’s Chevrolet Colorado, but there is no mistaking the source of the V8. Corvette power on the dunes? Combine that power with two ace drivers and I know there’s a new team to watch during the 2014 Dakar.


Info on the drivers:

Eric Vigouroux, Frenchman by birth but living in San Diego, USA, is a veteran off-road racer. In 2014 Eric will contest his 14th Dakar. Vigouroux has won almost every rally raid he entered the last four years. In 2010 he became FIA World Cup Champion in the 2WD category and last year Eric was the overall winner of the 2012 Rally of Morocco against all the factory teams. With fifteen years of experience, a professional team and a totally new, high-performance pickup, Vigouroux definitely has the potential to create some big surprises.


BJ Baldwin is a very well-known rally raid driver in the USA and has competed in all different types of off-road racing. He holds four championships in the last six years with several race wins including the Baja 500 and he drove a HUMMER in 2010 in Dakar 2010. With great experience and having competed in over 500 desert races, BJ Baldwin can be reckoned to be a top ten finisher in Dakar 2014 and could win some special stages.

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EVR, Eric Vigoroux, BJ Baldwin an Jeffries racing...? :huh

Hang on a second... wasn't Jeffries racing the crowd who built Nasser's Buglies... which he ran with Carlos last year?

So are Jeffries doing two projects for 2014 DAKAR... or is Nasser and Magnaldi on their own now with the "last years Buglies" while Eric and BJ go the "Dakar suited up Trophy Truck" route with Jeffries, and Carlos jumps ship with a fistfull of Red Bull posters in his pocket to SMG?

Or is the Bugly and Trophy Truck have the same or similar guts an different bodies?

Did I miss it...who is driving the second Bugly this year?