At first, all Dakar’s cars were “production” vehicles, models that an ordinary person could buy at a car dealership.
Now, the Dakar is divided into groups for many different kinds of vehicles.
One group is still only for production cars, most of which are familiar SUVs.
Teams are allowed to make a few changes to the cars, but production vehicles may not be turned into super-cars.
They must still be basically like the cars available at the local Honda or Ford or Volkswagen dealership.
Most changes that are allowed relate to the tough Dakar terrain.
Some teams put in strong shock absorbers for rocky ground or strong rubber around doors and windows to keep out desert sand.
Teams may adjust engines to get maximum power in thin mountain air.
Most drivers install a system to control air pressure in the tires by simply pushing a button.