The positive future implications of Audi's creditable Dakar debut
OPINION: Audi has been a disruptive presence on the 2022 Dakar Rally, with its new hybrid RS Q e-tron taking two stage wins so far. Its impressive pace and resilience on one of the world’s toughest tests also bodes well for the Dakar’s future as it seeks to attract new manufacturers.
Audi wasn’t overselling its Dakar Rally contender when it described it as the most complex race car it has ever built. The German manufacturer had to put together everything it learned during its time in Formula E and the DTM into a package that could tackle the world’s most gruelling cross-country rally.
The hardest part of the job was preparing a powertrain based on Dakar’s new regulations for electric and hybrid vehicles. This is where Audi’s FE expertise came in handy, with the MGU it designed for season seven in 2020-21 brought in to power the two axles.
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