The start of one of the largest and most difficult rally races in the world, the Dakar Rally (01/03 – 01/17/2025), is approaching, and the Romanian car manufacturer Dacia has presented a special vehicle dedicated to this race, the Duster Soul of Dakar.

The Duster Soul of Dakar has a livery reminiscent of that of the Dacia Sandero prototype that will compete in the upcoming Dakar Rally. It is equipped with optional components for the Duster model (InNature) such as a waterproof bag, a luggage box and a shovel, located on the roof rack. Inside, there are YouClip fasteners such as hooks for bags and holders for smartphones, tablets and drinks.

Although Dacia could have done more, some believe that the Soul of Dakar is an example of what a series of special versions based on the current offer will look like. This was also hinted at by Dacia director Denis Le Vot. Such a project would not require large investments, and it would be a good marketing move.

When it comes to the powertrain, the car uses the same engine as the standard Duster, a mild hybrid 1.2-liter engine with 130 hp (95 kW). The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with an electronic four-wheel drive system, which is different from most Duster models that have front-wheel drive.

At the upcoming Dakar Rally, Dacia will participate with the Sandrider model powered by Nissan’s 3.0-L twin-turbo V6 engine with 360 hp (265 kW). In the vehicle will be one of the greatest in the world of rally sports, Sebastien Loeb and Nasser Al-Attiyah.

Source: Dacia

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