Woah, this is Ford’s Coyote V8-engined Dakar car

Ford has finally revealed its Raptor T1+ rally raid car, and it’ll be taking no fewer than four of them along to the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in January 2025. That’s quite the assault on the competition.

The Raptor T1+ should be an assault on the senses too – it has been developed with Ford Performance’s long-term partners M-Sport and is powered by a race spec, dry-sumped, Coyote-based 5.0-litre V8. Excellent. FIA rules limit power to around 400bhp in the T1+ prototype class, and there will no doubt be plenty of noise to accompany the grunt.

Fox has sorted the suspension so there’s a front and rear independent double-wishbone setup with three-way adjustable and four-way adjustable external bypass dampers with remote reservoirs at each wheel. Those wheels are made out of aluminium and are 17s wrapped in monster 37in tyres. The brakes are from Alcon and comprise 355mm ventilated discs with six piston calipers on the front and rear.

The actual spaceframe is made from T45 steel tubing, but the Raptor T1+ then gets carbon fibre body panels for a minimum weight of 2,010kg. Looks the part too, doesn’t it? That Ford grille even looks good on a Transit, and we’re liking the chunky arches and the Red Bull livery.

Fancy some more stats? There’s 400mm of ground clearance and an approach angle of over 70 degrees.

“This is the kind of opportunity that comes once in a lifetime – to support Ford Performance as they head to Dakar with this new Ford Raptor T1+ is going to be an incredible adventure,” said Matt Wilson, M-Sport boss and Dakar team manager. “We have already completed 10,000km (6,213 miles) of testing in some of the harshest conditions we could find so we feel ready to take on this ultimate challenge starting at Baja Hungary next month.”

Yep, Hungary is where the team will first compete in the new Raptor T1+. Just one car will make its way there, before two take on the Rallye du Maroc in October. After that, it’s all systems go to get four cars ready for the Dakar. We already know that Carlos Sainz Sr and Nani Roma will be driving two of those cars, and Ford will announce its additional drivers and navigators later this year.

Still time for us to secure a seat, then…