The T1+ category represents the highest level of the World Rally-Raid Championship. At the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal, taking place from September 22 to 28, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Overdrive Racing, Dacia, Ford M-Sport, and X-raid will be present with prototypes worth over one million euros!
Less than a month away from the event, the favorites are getting ready to battle it out across the dirt roads of Alentejo, Ribatejo, and Spain’s Extremadura region, in this rally organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal.
The cars in the premier category are extraordinary prototypes built specifically for this type of competition. They are a true concentration of technology and innovation, where reliability is key to maintaining high performance over long stages.
All of them share a buggy-style architecture, with a tubular steel chassis and body panels (loosely resembling their road-going versions) made of carbon fiber.
There is a general preference for naturally aspirated and turbocharged gasoline engines, with all factory teams announcing the same power output — 360 hp. To ensure balance between the different engine concepts, the FIA uses a high-precision electronic torque meter to monitor and control engine torque. This device is connected to the gearbox, and the data is sent in real time to the FIA’s database. This allows performance to be regulated and equalized between turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines.
The Ultimate-category cars feature 4x4 transmission with three limited-slip differentials (front, center, and rear with mechanical lock) and a six-speed sequential Sadev gearbox.
All have double wishbone suspension with two dampers per wheel. The dampers are fully adjustable, allowing drivers to fine-tune suspension settings depending on the terrain for better control and handling. In addition, they have a long wheelbase for improved stability.
The braking system uses ventilated discs front and rear and includes a hydraulic handbrake. These powerful machines ride on 17-inch wheels wrapped with massive BF Goodrich off-road tires.
All cars weigh slightly over 2,000 kg. The use of sustainable fuel — produced from organic waste — is mandatory, replacing fossil fuels and reducing polluting emissions.
The driving position is elevated to give the driver better visibility. Inside the cabin, the cars are equipped with a temperature control system, as temperatures can reach 50 degrees.
A major novelty in the World Rally-Raid Championship is Dacia’s participation. The Sandrider was developed in partnership with Prodrive and is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine that, after Alpine’s optimization, produces 360 hp and 539 Nm of torque. In its debut season, the Renault Group brand has already claimed a win — the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge — with Nasser Al-Attiyah.
The Toyota DKR Hilux Evo is one of the most competitive cross-country rally cars after the reliability improvements introduced this year without compromising performance. Its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine produces 360 hp and 620 Nm of torque.
Ford Performance and M-Sport decided to take on the off-road world and developed the Raptor T1+, an impressive pickup built to withstand the brutal demands of this type of racing. It made its debut at the 2024 Rally of Morocco and has already won stages. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine producing 360 hp and 539 Nm.
X-raid continues to field the Mini John Cooper Works (JCW) Rally. To regain competitiveness lost in recent years, they replaced the diesel engine with a 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged gasoline engine producing 360 hp and 570 Nm of torque.