MINI is getting ready for the Dakar with the JCW Buggy, and this is the result

We are very close to the start of the Rally Dakar 2018, and the various teams are preparing their cars to face one of the most demanding challenges in the world. MINI has also prepared the versions it has selected to take part in this competition, and after putting them through the most demanding tests, it shows them in full action in this image gallery. Two versions adapted to drive through the desert and the most challenging terrain, to deliver a great spectacle at the Dakar.

The model is built on a tubular steel chassis, and its bodywork was designed and developed together with the MINI Design division. This collaboration has produced a look that is completely different from the brand’s traditional image, designed more for city driving than for this kind of adventure. This is a car that does not shy away from most of the obstacles it faces.

To improve its performance, the bodywork is made from Kevlar and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, which ensures that its weight is kept to a minimum. As for the engine, a six-cylinder inline diesel block with a capacity of 3.0 litres has been fitted. The 340 CV of power and the maximum torque of 800 Nm are transmitted to the rear axle.

The model has been tested in Morocco and Hungary, looking for places where the conditions met in the competition can be reproduced. In all these tests a very satisfactory result has been achieved, because the response of the MINI JCW Buggy has apparently been very suitable and no major problems have been reported during the tests.

Besides the JCW Buggy, MINI will also field the MINI JCW Rally. This model does not seem to have changed from the one that took part last year, but it has actually received several changes to its characteristics. Among these changes there is a new chassis and improved suspension, which will be very useful during the competition. MINI will take part with seven vehicles, three JCW Buggies and four JCW Rallies. The first three are driven by Mikko Hirvonen, Bryce Menzies and Yazeed Al-Rajhi, while the other four will be driven by Orlando Terranova, Jakub Przygonski, Joan “Nani” Roma and Boris Garafulic.