There are four famous car racing events in the world, including F1, 24 Hours of Le Mans, WRC, and the least known but most grueling race, Dakar Rally. Also called the “game for the brave”, Dakar Rally is extremely challenging to both cars and athletes.

January will see the launch of Dakar Rally 2022. BAIC ORV will be sent to the hell-like racing field in Dakar the second time as the only Chinese auto brand. Thanks to its solid strength, BAIC ORV fleet pocketed the first three prizes of the newcomer group in Dakar Rally 2021, and will fight for higher rankings in Dakar Rally 2022. Still opened in Saudi Arabia, Dakar Rally 2022 is much difficult with a full course of 8,375 km, 729 km longer than that in the previous session, and resembles a “bloody battlefield” where the performance and durance of racing cars are tested. Noteworthily, among the participating fleets from worldwide, BJ40 fleet, the only fleet representing Chinese auto brands, will fight for the peak of the event for the second time.

Dakar Rally 2022 May Be the Cruelest Offroad “Battlefield” in History

In previous Dakar Rally races, racing cars were required to undergo complex and tough road conditions like vast expanses of desert, rugged rockets and even muddy marshes. Each leg involves hidden difficulties beyond imagination, and dangers may arise at any time. Dakar Rally 2022 with a higher level of difficulty surely will become the cruelest offroad journey in history.

Dakar Rally 2022 track information has been initially released by far. A total of 12 legs are involved, with a full course of 8.375 km from Khail through Riyadh to Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. The course is 7,646 km longer than that in the previous year, which means one more day of race, and thus a top test for both cars and athletes.  

Besides a longer course, the geographical environment racing cars pass through are also harsh.

Take the first half of the course for example. Most probably, participating fleets will drive through the extension of the Serrate Mountains to Ad-Dahna in the east. This leg features rugged terrains and changing landforms. Moreover, driving on sands and rocks is undoubtedly a huge test for car performance as well as the resistance to high temperature and passing capacity of engines.

The second half is filled with even more difficulties than the first half. In the latter half, participating fleets will pass through the desert on the Arabian highland, which is a harsh and dangerous environment characterized by intense heat, drought and widespread sands and rocks. Apparently, the tough desert conditions are a test to the chassis, suspension, engine, gearbox and 4WD system of any racing car.

What’s the trump card of BAIC ORV in the arduous race?

As a flagship offroad vehicle brand in China, BAIC ORV enjoys advantages stronger than peers in both technologies and manufacturing experience. Even in the hell-like event of Dakar Rally, BAIC ORV fleet is as confident as ever. The “Marathon leg” is the best-known part of Dakar Rally, in which athletes will have no more supplies. The leg is not only challenging to the absolute power of the racing car, but also highly demanding to range as any minor error will lead to the exit from the race due to the lack of oil. So, participating cars are required to have excellent power and range performance, which is a must for both racing cars and high-level passenger offroad vehicles as well.

BJ40 is created with the experience accumulated after participation in major rallies and rally technologies. Equipped with the 2.0D diesel engine and efficient ZF 8AT gearbox, BJ40 Blade Hero boasts a range of over 1,000 km, eliminating the risk of running out of oil even in a desolate area. Meanwhile, the maximum power of 120kW and the peak torque of 380N·m can fully meet user demand for long-distance driving as well as dragging and climbing.

Besides an outstanding range, BJ40 also incorporates a highly durable set of diesels. Thanks to strong resistance to heat, the powertrain system will not be overheated even in a hot desert. In addition, with a low rotational speed and a robust torque, the diesel engine better meets the demand of off-road drivers.

The Anti-roll Frame Necessary to a Racing Car

The harsh driving environment is most challenging to the body structure besides the powertrain system. Dakar Rally mainly sees rough unpaved roads consisting of desert, gravels and hills. As the car runs at a speed of close to 200km/h, the body structure is required to be very strong. Most racing cars have steel bodies, which are both lightweight and highly safe.

BJ40 is designed in the same way. It incorporated the multi-closed-loop structure as early as a decade ago, and equipped with the only anti-roll frame seen in the homemade vehicles of the same level, which improves body strength and maximizes safety in offroad driving, well protecting drivers and passengers even in car roll.  

The non-load body structure and the introduction of five ring safety structures respectively in the double wishbone fingerboard, anti-roll frame and body frame ensures the body to be super strong. Meanwhile, the surrounding front fingerboard can effectively transmit the impact force to the body, scattering the impact power across the body, protecting both passengers and the body and thus greatly improving driving safety.

Meanwhile, BJ40 introduces the special offroad chassis with a big beam, something necessary to a Rally race. The biggest benefit of a big beam is “being strong”. In a tough environment like a Dakar Rally race, road surfaces will have huge impact on chassis, but the big beam will be strong enough to absorb all the impact power and thus avoid body distortion.

Moreover, a Dakar Rally course mainly consists of desert, as well as gravel roads and soft sand dunes formed by wind, where cars are easily sunk. That imposes a tough requirement on the passing capacity of racing cars. In fact, passing capacity is also crucial to a real off-road vehicle. With a high passing angle, part-time 4WD and “three locks”, BJ40 can easily handle the demanding conditions like the “shell holes” and “hero slopes” frequently mentioned by offroad driving lovers.

Conclusion

It’s because of the belief in its strength that BAIC ORV has the confidence to participate in Dakar Rally 2022 with greater difficulties. As the featured product of BAIC ORV, BJ40 is not only synonymous with passion, but also a representative of strength, inheriting the gene of off-road vehicles that is powerful enough to overcome every extreme sports event. It’s learnt that the mass-produced 2022 BJ40 Taklimakan Champion version will be launched before long, when a new trend will surely be unleashed in China’s off-road vehicle market.