The Dakar 4x4 is an

off-road Off-roading is the act of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, dirt, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, or other natural terrain. Off-roading ranges from casual drives with regular vehicles to competitive events w ...

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originally designed for the Paris to Dakar rally.

Development

The Dakar was developed in 1991 by Barry Chantler of Dakar Cars in Dartford, Ken

A successor to the Rotrax, the Dakar uses a Range Rover

chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of a manufactured object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...

rather than the more conventional sports car style. The Rotrax was a RWD 2-seater buggy built on a space frame chassis using Cortina suspension and engines. Dennis Adams, its designer, tagged it "the thinking man's beach buggy". The original Sport 2-seater was later joined by the 2+2 Safari model. The Dakar matched the Range Rover's 100-inch wheelbase and added a rear seat, as well as carrying over the

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight- cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Origins The first known V8 was the Antoinette, designed by Léon Levavasseur, a ...

and 4WD from the donor vehicle. As well as the performance improvements from the reduced bodyweight, the Dakar design greatly improved the approach and departure angles of a standard vehicle. The kit car has slowly evolved, including the ability to now be fitted to a

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chassis. Enthusiasts have fitted a number of engine upgrades, from a 5.7L small block

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engine, up to a 7.3L with

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. Dakars are now manufactured and built to order by Steve Bennett's company Dakar 4×4 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershir

There are around 120 known conversions in the United Kingdom, UK, with more in

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Bespoke models

The Dakar found TV fame in the 1990s, with a factory-built car being chosen for the series Challenge Anneka, replacing the previously used VW-based beach buggy. The vehicle was finished in the series' trademark colours of a light blue body with yellow

roll cage A roll cage is a specially engineered and constructed frame built in (or sometimes around, in which case it is known as an exo cage) the passenger compartment of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured or killed in an accident, pa ...

and weather gear. The Dakar reprised its role on a special 25th anniversary edition of the show. Barry Chantler also designed a small-scale Dakar for children, the design of which reached the prototyping/bodyshell stage.

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company John E Davis Motor Works made a car called the Bush Ranger ("Bushie") that derived from the Dakar.

References

External links

Dakar 4x4 - Design & Conversions - Link
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214200924/http://www.dakar.co.uk/Dakar%204x4.htm , date=14 December 2013

Car manufacturers of the United Kingdom Kit car manufacturers

Development

Bespoke models

See also

References

External links