Thursday 19th November 2009

Prost To Run Dacia Ice Racer

Four-time F1 champ will race Dacia Duster SUV in Andros Trophy

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Ice racers get 4wd, 4ws, mid-mounted engine

French F1 legend Alain Prost will take to the wheel of a Dacia (yes, you read that right) for the 2009/2010 Andros Trophy ice racing series in the French Alps.

The four-time F1 champ will campaign the new Dacia Duster SUV in the silhouette formula of the famous ice racing championship, having competed since 2003 - and winning the past two seasons - using Toyotas.

Although the Duster ice racer previews next year's budget SUV (think Suzuki Vitara from Romania), the car has been developed by parent company Renault's motorsport arm, Renaultsport.

Power comes from a 350bhp, 3.0-litre, mid-mounted Nissan V6. This is coupled to a sequential six-speed box that drives all four wheels. The steering is also of the four-wheeled variety.

It's probably fair to say that Prost's Dacia will be a little more exciting than the road-going version (have a look at the full spec sheet below an you'll agree). The season starts on 5 December in Val Thorens.

DACIA DUSTER COMPETITION CAR - TECHNICAL DATA

CHASSIS
Tubular steel chassis
Double wishbone suspension, front and rear

ENGINE
Renault-Nissan Alliance VQ 30
Position: mid-engined
Six cylinders (V6)
Number of valves: 24
Cubic capacity: 2,987cc
Bore x stroke: 93mm x 73.3mm
Maximum power: 350hp at 7,500rpm
Maximum torque: 360Nm at 5,500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Six-speed SADEV sequential gearbox

BRAKES
Front: 260mm-diameter ventilated steel discs
Rear: 265mm-diameter steel discs

WHEELS
5.5" x 16" (magnesium)
Tyres: Continental Racing Contact 3

DIMENSIONS / WEIGHT
Length: 4,001mm
Width: 1,900mm
Front/rear track: 1,690mm

[stuart-b]

Pistonheads typing monkey said:

having competed since 2003 - and winging the past two seasons - using Toyotas.

He's going to "wing" it this year as well is he?

[Riggers]

stuart-b said:

Pistonheads typing monkey said:

having competed since 2003 - and winging the past two seasons - using Toyotas.

He's going to "wing" it this year as well is he?

er, yes - it says 'winning' now . There was a 'win' beneath my 'wings' etc etc...

[Project 644]

Article said:

Power comes from a 350bhp, 3.0-litre, mid-mounted Nissan V6. This is coupled to a sequential six-speed box that all four wheels. The steering is also of the four-wheeled variety.

What does the 6 speed box do to all four wheels?

Do you want a proof reader?

[sprinter1050]

A bit amusing that all these years later cars like this are replicating the layout & (similar) spec of the good old Metro 6R4 !!

[monkey11477]

Someone tell James May

[dinkel]

Love it!

[Turbobanana]

Riggers said:

stuart-b said:

Pistonheads typing monkey said:

having competed since 2003 - and winging the past two seasons - using Toyotas.

He's going to "wing" it this year as well is he?

er, yes - it says 'winning' now . There was a 'win' beneath my 'wings' etc etc...

Good recovery...

[stew-S160]

monkey11477 said:

Someone tell James May

It's not a Sandero...

[Man-At-Arms]

article said:

Power comes from a 350bhp, 3.0-litre, mid-mounted Nissan V6

in a car that's the same size as a shoebox

[Guttered]

Man-At-Arms said:

article said:

Power comes from a 350bhp, 3.0-litre, mid-mounted Nissan V6

in a car that's the same size as a shoebox

"DIMENSIONS / WEIGHT
Length: 4,001mm
Width: 1,900mm
Front/rear track: 1,690mm"

Jesus, what size shoe are you?!

[zac510]

Cool cars these, have been and seen them a couple of times.

All French built spaceframe chassis underneath.

[Nickellarse]

sprinter1050 said:

A bit amusing that all these years later cars like this are replicating the layout & (similar) spec of the good old Metro 6R4 !!

I was thinking the same thing. Must be a hoot to drive.

Just don't park it behind any lorries (May), though I know it's not a Sanderro.

[Belfast Boy]

LOOKS FUN! even if it looks like a face lifted Lada Samara?

[odyssey2200]

WOW!

thats a bit different from the old one!



strangely the only place the Dacia Duster existed was in the UK.

The Dacia Car Company was originally based in Andover and imported the Renault 12 cloned Dacia 1300 series which it called the Denim in the UK.

Just after taking a delivery of the Pick- up version of the Renault 12 called the Shifter in the UK and the 1304 everywhere else, The Dacia Car Company went bust owing a lot of suppliers a lot of money.

One of those suppliers was a company in Westbury in Wiltshire who became Dacia Concessionaires as they inherited all of DCC's stock.

Dacia Concessionaires cashed in on the new popularity of 4x4 vehicles by importing the (also Romanian) ARO 10 range which it branded as a Dacia and made up the name Duster to evoke thoughts of sand and off roading.

A name rather befitting of the Yellow ones.

So in actual fact the Dacia Duster is an entirely British creation.

ARO went bust a few years ago and Dacia was bough by Renault again recently.

[modusoperandi]

Good that is some of the worst photoshoping I have ever seen, I cant believe any self respecting person/company would release something like that.

[Lutz]

Good luck to them, the racing car will be as different from the bog standard car, as was the VW Toureg that participated in the Paris Dakkar, or the cars that win rally championships....

[300bhp/ton]

Have to say I think this looks fab . And I know the production version won't....