Preparation for the 2025 Dakar Rally has been taking place all year long. Teams have been testing endlessly to eradicate weak points, improve reliability and to make steeds faster than before. Toyota Gazoo Racing has entered multiple examples of the 2025 Toyota Dakar bakkie in an effort to replicate its overall victory from a few years ago.

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Click here to read our 2025 Dakar Rally preview.

We take a look at some interesting specs relating to the 2025 Toyota Dakar bakkie.

  1. The 2025 Toyota Dakar bakkie is based in a tubular spaceframe that is covered by a lightweight composite body. Additionally, these panels are made for quick and easy replacement as they are frequently damaged during stages.
  2. There are virtually no shared bits between a road-going Hilux and the racer.
  3. The race bakkie rides on double wishbone suspension all round with 350 mm of travel.
  4. The chunky off-road tyres measure 320 mm in width and 37 inches in diameter.
  5. A 3,5-litre V6 powers the 2025 Toyota Dakar bakkie. This is the same petrol engine, borrowed from the Land Cruiser (LC300), that has powered previous versions of this race machine.
  6. The twin-turbocharged engine produces 264 kW of power and 620 N.m of torque. Incidentally, the race machine develops less power than a road-going LC300 as the racecar’s power is limited by regulations.
  7. A 540-litre fuel tank feeds the engine on long stages of the event. This year’s race comprises 12 stages including more than 5 000 km of timed sections.
  8. A SADEV sequential transmission feeds power through three limited-slip differentials before directing it to all wheels.

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