After losing last year’s race, all eyes are on the Kamaz Master
The Paris Dakar rally is one of the most dangerous and difficult motorsport event sin the World. When one thinks of the best vehicle to compete in the race with, many would probably think small, fast, and agile. I would beg to differ. I would take the Kamaz Master any day.
The Paris Dakar is a fascinating race to watch. It is unique event and different in one important way, it requires teams to transport their own equipment throughout the duration of the race. This is how large racing trucks came to be. They were entered into the race to transport equipment. Keep in mind that the race is 1,000 miles of desert terrain.
After losing its class in the 2016 Dakar, Kamaz went back to the drawing board to come up with a vehicle that would not only win, but rather dominate its class. The result is the Kamaz Master. Designed and built in Russia, the Kamaz Master is a 980 horsepower beast that is specifically designed for the 2017 Dakar Rally. It has a 12.5-liter diesel engine and 15-speed transmission channeling power through all four wheels.
The new truck has the cab set further back behind the front axle instead of the right above the axle. This completely changes the center of gravity of the vehicle making it better suited to withstand the hard landings that come with the race.
Not only is this a fabulous racing truck, it would make for an outrageous overland expedition vehicle. Let us see how the team does in next year’s Paris Dakar. It is definitely an event we will be covering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I6br0syhnM