Check out the Kamaz Dakar rally truck as it drifts its way around Goodwood Festival of Speed before finally leaping over a Lamborghini Aventador.
Goodwood is home to many a fine vehicle, but most have a certain sense of class. There are plenty of race cars, such as Ford’s latest GT Mk II Le Mans-style track car, as well as various supercars from all the biggest names like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.
But it’s rare to find a 10-ton truck at Goodwood, mostly because no trucks of that size have the maneuverability to ascend Goodwood’s tight turns. However, most trucks aren’t built for rally racing in the harshest environments on Earth.
The Kamaz Dakar rally truck was built to not only drive in the hottest deserts on the planet but also race in them. And Kamaz should know: they’ve won the Dakar rally 16 times in the truck category.
Built by Russian truckmaker Kamaz, the Dakar-version is based on the Kamaz-4326 chassis but specially modified with bigger brakes, off-road tires, enormous suspension, and a rear spoiler. It also sports an extended nose to make room for the 12.5-L diesel engine under the hood.
Power is rated at 980 horses. A 16-speed automatic ZF transmission provides power to all four wheels, allowing it to reach speeds of over 100 mph. The back is mostly a giant 1,000-liter fuel tank so that the rig doesn’t run out of gas halfway into the Sahara.
Our first video, courtesy of NM2255 Car HD Videos on YouTube, showcases the Dakar’s run up the Goodwood course with a fancy drift on one of its curves. The rest of the video shows other supercars and sports cars, but none have the same sort of flair as the Kamaz truck.
Our second video is taken by Red Bull Motorsports--Kamaz’s sponsor for many of its competitions--and pits a Lamborghini Aventador against the Dakar in a race to the Goodwood Ball. While the Lambo has to stop for even the tiniest bump, the Dakar can go offroad and even slams straight through a wooden fence.
And finally, we see the Kamaz take part in Goodwood’s drifting freestyle competition. We’re surprised everyone didn’t choke on the diesel and rubber fumes, but perhaps they were too in awe of the agile truck.