Dominating The Desert

The 2014 Dakar Rally is officially in the books now, and as we touched on during our update last week it was MINI that held on for another dominant showing in South America. Nani Roma held onto the top position in the car class, getting to Valparaiso five minutes ahead of the second place MINI of Stephan Peterhansel. Nasser Al-Attiyah took home third place, rounding out the all-MINI podium.

The official Dakar Rally site has also released this video highlighting some of the action that unfolded in the car class over the last couple of weeks. To me it only serves as further proof that Dakar is the most demanding motoring competition on earth.

Will any one be able to top Nani Roma and the rest of the MINI brigade? I guess we’ll find out next year.

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1

Look at those brows!

2

klattr1Those brows have won the dakar both on a bike and in a car... just look at those bad-ass brows!!! :D

3

So do manufacturers have an agreement on who gets to dominate the Dakar or something? Because just a few years ago VW was sweeping the podium and before them it was Mitsubishi.
I think the race is awesome, it just seems kinda funny to me.

4

So do manufacturers have an agreement on who gets to dominate the Dakar or something? Because just a few years ago VW was sweeping the podium and before them it was Mitsubishi.
I think the race is awesome, it just seems kinda funny to me.

5

PowerTryp I guess it's just the case that at any one time, there's a best machine for the job, probably as a result of manufacturer support in that period.

6

@lehades klattr1 Endurance brows. :)

7

Robby Gordon. He will eventually top Mini.

8
RobertDavidParkes

team orders Stephan had to give Nani the victory. so actually Stephan won it.

9
RobertDavidParkes

maybe in a ford raptor?

10

A great race but the end was left on a sour note as soon as team orders were given. It was unfortunate to see Nani celebrating on the bonnet of his car at the end when he was gifted the win and didn't earn it. If he won in an out and out race to the end it would of been great, but he didn't.
All the other classes were better this year because of that.

11

I`m sorry but the Dakar "Mini" has a lot to do with Mini as it has to do with an aircraft carrier.Some years ago those "Mini`s" were branded as "BMW X3", and the company that developes these silhoutte racers is X-Raid.

Used to watch the real Dakar Rally when it was about JL Schlesser, with hiss buggies. Altough I`m sure it`s one hell of a rally for participants, but now I see just marketing trying to push some products.

Regards,
Razvan

12

PowerTryp 

VW just stepped away after winning 3 times in a row and the team building the Dakar cars has been working on the WRC project, and with succes! At the time it was between the BMW X5 (now all have been converted to Mini) and the VW Touaregs. It's only logical that with the winning team stepping away it's now a free playing field for the Mini team.

13

Razvan_29 
Shelesser was a cheater and the modern Dakar is more fun since the countries they visit aren't full of islamic militants.

14

PowerTryp Next year its gonna be Smart car.

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