Attention racing fans: Audi announces that it will participate in the Dakar Rally for the first time in its history. In 2022, you should see a car with four rings on its nose chasing through the desert sands. And not just any!
Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Citroën, Peugeot, Mini, Toyota and Porsche. It seems like a random list of car manufacturers, but nothing could be further from the truth. The common denominator is that they all have a Dakar history. Audi may soon join that list. The brand has announced that it will participate in the Dakar Rally in 2022!
In the Dakar Rally of 2022, the brand from Ingolstadt must make its debut. Audi does not just pull off a modified Q5 or Q8. No, an electric car will be deployed. That Audi has mastered the tricks of the ‘teasing’ down to the last detail, is evident from the image submitted by the PR department. Audi shows a sketch of a car that is covered by a cloth. Yes. With a little imagination, we see some design influences of the Q4 E-tron Sportback. At least that would be somewhat obvious.
Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback Concept
The still unnamed rally gun will get an electric powertrain, but is not 100 percent an EV. A TFSI petrol engine acts as a range extender. That means that that TFSI power source can supply the electric motors with power while driving. Participation in the Dakar Rally goes hand in hand with a departure from another racing class. After the 2020/2021 season, Audi will stop with the factory team in the electric Formula E.