Here’s Sandrider, Sébastien Loeb’s Dacia

Inspired by the Dacia Manifesto concept car, the Sandrider will be homologated in the top category Ultimate T1+ for the 2025 Dakar.

For this sporting commitment, Dacia has chosen a more sustainable competition. No electric, hydrogen, or even hybrid propulsion, but innovative technical choices to minimize the environmental impact of this four-wheeled desert Rider.

Sandrider is equipped with an engine using synthetic fuel, a solution that helps reduce the vehicle’s environmental impact. This synthetic fuel is produced by Aramco by combining renewable hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide, resulting in a low-carbon product compatible with modern engines. The Dakar serves as an ideal testing ground for this technology for Dacia.

Since weight is the enemy of good in motorsport, only the absolutely necessary body panels have been kept. Hence, a rather minimalist and surprising look, more reminiscent of Mad Max than an elegance competition. Engineers at Dacia gained 15 kg by removing all unnecessary decorative elements. The vehicle’s aerodynamics have also been optimized, with a 10% reduction in drag and a 40% reduction in lift compared to comparable prototypes.

In the desert, heat is necessarily as formidable an adversary as the pitfalls on the road. To limit the rise in temperature inside the cabin, Sandrider’s designers used infrared-ray-resistant pigments embedded directly in the vehicle’s carbon fiber. This process has been patented by Dacia. The bucket seats from Sabelt are covered with a specific anti-bacterial fabric that regulates humidity.

Technical Sheet of the Dacia Sandrider:

• FIA Category: Ultimate T1+
• Chassis: tubular
• Body: carbon fiber
• Engine: V6, 3 liters, twin-turbo, direct injection
• Maximum Power: 265 kW / 360 hp at 5000 rpm
• Maximum Torque: 539 Nm at 4250 rpm
• Transmission: 4×4
• Gearbox: 6-speed sequential
• Suspensions Front/Rear: double triangulation
• Suspension Travel: 350mm
• Wheels: aluminum rims, 17 inches
• Tyres: BF Goodrich, 37 inches
• Dimensions (L x W x H): 4140 x 2290 x 1810 mm
• Wheelbase: 3000 mm
• Front/Rear Overhang: 590/550 mm

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