The 2025 Dakar Rally is now underway, but this 1990 Range Rover could offer a way to enter the famous event in the future.
Built by Halt’up specifically for off-road racing, the three-door Range Rover comes with a tuned V8 engine and trick suspension.
It will be up for auction next month, crossing the block as part of Bonhams Grand Palais sale, which takes place in Paris on 6 February 2025.
The winning bidder will bag themselves a vehicle eligible to compete in the Dakar Classic, and thus a ticket to motorsport adventures.
Ready to ride the dunes
The late 1980s and early 1990s were arguably the heyday of the Paris-Dakar Rally, when major car manufacturers spent big to take glory in the sand.
A Range Rover won the inaugural Dakar in 1979, but the level of competition since that first event had ramped up hugely.
Enter Halt’up, which came close to victory in 1984. Driven by Patrick Zaniroli, its Range Rover finished just behind René Metge’s Porsche 953.
After the Halt’up outfit managed to steal Camel tobacco sponsorship from Peugeot, it embarked on a plan to build four bespoke modified Range Rovers to fight for Dakar victory.
Novel engineering included
The vehicle offered for sale by Bonhams is chassis number one of the four prepared by Halt’up in 1990, with its unusual suspension being a big talking point.
Input from Ignacio Bultó (founder of the Bultaco motorbike company) saw Halt’up design a special cantilever suspension setup. Notably, the coilover dampers are mounted horizontally above each hub.
A 4.2-litre version of the famed Rover V8 engine was installed beneath the bonnet, developing 276hp and allowing a top speed of 125mph.
Three fuel tanks hold a total of 260 litres to keep the V8 running over long distances, while a Santana transmission and locking differentials are cooled by two radiators.
Finishing on the first attempt
Entered into the 1991 Paris-Dakar event, the Halt’up Range Rover faced formidable challenges from the works teams of Citroen and Mitsubishi.
Piloted by Ignacio Bultó and Ramon Termens, the Range Rover eventually finished 38th overall, and fifth in the T2 category. A sister Halt’up vehicle would go on to win the T2 class in 1991.
For 1992, this same Range Rover was driven by the legendary Patrick Tambay. Along with being a formidable Formula One driver, the late Frenchman also achieved numerous podiums on the Dakar.
Sadly, a broken transmission meant the Range Rover made a premature exit from the competition. Used on further off-road events during the 1990s, it later became part of a private collection.
Heading back to Paris
The current owner of the Range Rover acquired it in 2022, and has treated it to a comprehensive overhaul, returning the exterior to how it looked in 1991. This included replicating the eye-catching ‘Trident’ livery, along with plenty of mechanical maintenance.
Offered with a French registration document, the Range Rover comes with an extensive history file. Numerous photographs from its competition days are also included, plus invoices for the recent maintenance work.
Being auctioned without reserve, the Halt’up Range Rover comes with a pre-sale estimate of between €70,000 and €90,000 (£58,000 and £75,000).
The winning bidder will secure themselves a piece of motorsport history – and the chance to write their own by entering the Dakar Classic.
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