Over a year ago, Excite Rallye Raid Team announced that it would be competing in the Dakar Rally with a race-prepped Range Rover Evoque. The British rally team has unveiled the first photos of its Dakar Rally competitor.
Excite Rallye Raid Team worked in collaboration with RaBe Race Cars on the Range Rover Evoque build that recently went testing in Holland prior to its competition debut at the grueling Dakar Rally. The matte black Evoque has been nicknamed ‘Desert Warrior 3′ and so far in testing, it has performed well according to the team.
“The vehicle has a real presence. It’s very well put-together, it’s strong and rugged,” said professional British driver John Hardy in a release. “The thought and attention to detail is mind-blowing; all the dials are at eye level, all the switches are where they need to be and the space in the cockpit will be critical as we’ll be spending hours strapped in!”
Rather than the factory 2.0-liter turbocharged Ford engine, under the hood is a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged diesel engine with 271 hp and a ZF six-speed automatic transmission. It’ll compete on BF Goodrich desert tires while coilover suspension comes courtesy of Reiger. To ensure it lasts the competition, a 69-gallon fuel tank has been installed into the crossover to give it a driving range of around 750 miles.
GALLERY: Excite Rallye Range Rover Evoque
