It is in order to always push the envelope in the quest for the essential that Dacia participates in the Dakar and rally-raids, arguably the world’s most demanding outdoor testing grounds. The Renault group brand unveiled Sandrider, the prototype with which the brand will participate in the Dakar and World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) in 2025. Inspired by the Manifesto concept car, the prototype unveiled in 2022, Sandrider is an all-new vehicle specially designed for rally-raids, drawing on Renault Group’s sporting expertise and relying on the teams of British motorsport specialist Prodrive.
Designed by Dacia designers guided by David Durand, the Sandrider’s exterior styling focuses on the essentials, with no frills. Only the body panels considered absolutely necessary have been retained. It is devoid of decorative and therefore superfluous elements. Naturally, special attention was paid to aerodynamics (see below). With this focus on the essential needs of the driver and co-driver, the short, sloping and floating front bonnet disappears from the crew’s field of vision.
The use of anti-reflective paint – a technique taken from aviation – applied to the upper part of the dashboard also optimises visibility for pilot and co-pilot. To design the cockpit, the designers and engineers focused above all on listening to the needs, habits and constraints of the pilots and their co-pilots. Sandrider is therefore distinguished by its modular dashboard, which allows each individual crew member to adapt the ergonomics and arrangement of certain elements to their own preferences.
