Repost: African Turbo

1982 Renault 20 Turbo 4x4 Paris-Dakar

First published in December 2012


"Fait attention au vaches!"... "aaargh" ... "C'est bon. C'est bon"

Short shorts, t-shirts and unfastened helmets mixed with much gallic arguing, it's hard to believe these two managed to get anywhere, much less win the Dakar outright.    In fact Claude and Bernard Marreau were by then veterans of the first three editions of the desert classic and had a long previous experience in African Rally Raids.

A 1982 GoPro equivalent...

Cheers then for the brothers who 30 years ago, not only dodged african cows, managed not to strangle each other  or kill their Safari edition 4WD Renault 20 Turbo but also made this film without the aid of  a single GoPro!

The soundtrack gets pretty silly at times but stick with it and keep in mind that in the 80's turbos were a new and somewhat dodgy technology,  ballsy by Renault to have the confidence their turbo engine would prove reliable in that hellish torture test.

The engine in the car was a carburated 1.6 L  out of an R18 Turbo,  good for 132 hp.  5 speed transmission, rear locking differential.     Front suspension was  double a arms, rear was a solid axle.
It has been restored, you can find that story HERE