New Duster Turns Into Rally Car For Dakar

Dacia had introduced the third-generation Duster SUV in global markets last year. Renault's version of this 5-seater SUV has also been introduced in select international markets including Turkey. Dacia has now revealed the new Duster Soul, a Dakar Rally concept. The 47th edition of the Dakar Rally will take place from 3 to 17 January 2025 in Saudi Arabia and Dacia is also participating the event. 

Dacia Duster Soul - Rally Car

To celebrate its participation in the race, Dacia has revealed the new Sandrider concept. Adding to it, the company has revealed the new Dacia Duster Soul concept. The SUV has been customized heavily with several accessories and an exclusive paint scheme. It features a special paint job, which is designed in-house by the company's style centre. 

Dacia designers have added multiple accessories from the official InNature range. It gets a roof rack that has the re-positionable roof bars, a weatherproof glove box, a waterproof canvas bag and a shovel.

The new Dacia Duster Rally Car comes equipped with all YouClip accessories including several light points throughout the compartment, bag hooks, multiple phone holders, and cup and tablet holders. The SUV is fitted with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 48V mild hybrid system. This mild-hybrid system acts as a starter/generator powered by a 0.8kWh battery. Adding to it, the concept comes with 4x4 system that allows the car to tackle rough terrain. 

The SUV comes with 3 driving modes - Snow, Mud/Sand and Off Road - with the inscription Lock. The inspiration lock blocks traction at 50% front and 50% rear. 

New Renault Duster India Launch

The French automaker has officially announced to launch the new-gen Duster SUV in the Indian market in 2025. In fact, the SUV has been caught testing on the Indian roads multiple times. It is based on the Renault-Nissan alliance's CMF-B modular platform, which will also underpin a new 7-seater SUV. Measuring 4.34 meters in length, the new Duster rides on a 2,657mm wheelbase. 

The new Duster has received more modern interiors with dual-screen setup, comprising of a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit and a 7-inch instrument console. Some of the features include an Arkamys 3D sound system with six speakers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, wireless phone charging, automatic climate control and others. 

The new Duster will also come with an ADAS suite with features like lane change warning, automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition with speed alert, and object detection. The India-spec model is likely to be powered by a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine with manual and CVT gearbox options. It could also receive a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine.