MINI has finally unveiled the MINI John Cooper Works Rally and the MINI John Cooper Works Buggy, which are specially produced to participate in the Dakar Rally on January 8 in Peru.

Driven by the German X-raid Team, the MINI John Cooper Works Buggy boasts a 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder diesel engine delivering 250 kW/340 hp and a maximum torque of 800 Nm. The Works Buggy’s transmission, drivetrain as well as the engine’s turbocharging technology, are based on the BMW TwinPower Turbo but have all been thoroughly revised. The MINI John Cooper Works Rally uses the same engine. Further, a specially-designed tubular steel frame provides maximum protection for driver and co-pilot in extreme situations, while the carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and Kevlar body was customised to stretch over the frame. The authentic buggy-look exterior was designed in close cooperation with MINI Design to produce extremely optimised aerodynamics.

The MINI and X-raid team for the Dakar Rally 2018 will include seven cars and an experienced team of drivers and co-pilots. The three pilots for the MINI John Cooper Works Buggies are Mikko Hirvonen, Bryce Menzies and Yazeed Al-Rajhi. Meanwhile, the drivers commanding the MINI John Cooper Works Rally entries are Orlando Terranova, Jakub Przygonski, Joan “Nani” Roma and Boris Garafulic.