Editing Dakar Rally (section)

==Vehicles and classes==
The five competitive groups in the Dakar are the [[motorcycle]]s, [[quad bike|quads]], the [[car|cars]] class (which ranges from [[dune buggy|buggies]] to small [[Sport utility vehicle|SUV]]s), [[Side-by-side (vehicle)|UTVs]], and the [[truck]]s class. Many vehicle manufacturers use the rally's harsh environment as both a testing ground and an opportunity to show off their vehicles' durability even though most vehicles are heavily modified from their production specification or purpose-built.

===Motorbikes===
[[File:Joan Barreda Piloto Amv Dakar 2016 (137839365).jpeg|thumb|[[Joan Barreda]] racing a Honda motorcycle at the 2016 Dakar Rally]]
For the 2005 rally regulations introduced a limit of 450cc for twin cylinder motorbikes. Single cylinder motorbikes were still open class with no capacity limit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.motorcycledaily.com/2004/07/01july04_bigtwins/ |title=No Big Twins for Dakar Rally In '05 |date=July 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221122543/https://www.motorcycledaily.com/2004/07/01july04_bigtwins/ |archive-date=2022-02-21 |access-date=2022-02-21}}</ref>

As of 2011, the engine displacement limit for all motorbikes competing in the Dakar Rally is 450cc. Engines may be either single or twin cylinder. Riders are divided into two groups, RallyGP and Rally2.<ref name="Bike-quad">{{cite web |url=http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2014/docs/ReglementDakar2014MotoQuadUSavecVisa.pdf|title=Dakar Bike-Quad regulations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108131950/http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2014/docs/ReglementDakar2014MotoQuadUSavecVisa.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A subcategory is the "Original by [[Motul (company)|Motul]]" category (formerly named "Malle Moto" due to the only piece of luggage competitors were allowed to take with them was a "malle", the French term for a [[steamer trunk]]), which refers to motorbikes and quads competing without any kind assistance. The organization provides assistance for this category with 4 people dedicated to the transportation of the competitors' gear between [[Bivouac shelter|bivouac]] sites plus any additional equipment or belongings. This includes: 1 trunk, 1 set of wheels, 1 sleeping tent, 1 travel bag, 1 set of tyres, free use of the generators, compressors and tool-boxes, and easy access to race information.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dakar.com/en/the-competitors/practical-information/original-by-motul|title=Original by Motul|website=Dakar|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116125958/https://www.dakar.com/en/the-competitors/practical-information/original-by-motul|archive-date=2020-01-16|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref> Since these competitors are not allowed to receive any outside support, each rider must service their own vehicle. It is often called the category for the toughest of the tough, and one for the Dakar purists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/fr-ca/sports/tennis/dakar-2020-educational-video-original-motul/vp-BBYU1tY|title=Dakar 2020 – Educational Video – Original by Motul|website=MSN Sports|access-date=2020-01-16}}</ref>

[[KTM]] has dominated the motorcycle class in recent years, although [[Honda]], [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]], [[Sherco]], [[Husqvarna Motorcycles|Husqvarna]], and [[Gas Gas]] also compete currently. [[BMW Motorrad|BMW]] and [[Cagiva]] have also enjoyed success in the past.

===Quads===
Prior to 2009, Quads were a subdivision of the motorbike category, but they were granted their own separate classification in 2009 and are designated Group 3 in the current regulations. They are divided into two subgroups – Group 3.1, which features two-wheel drive quads with a single cylinder engine with a maximum displacement of 750cc, and Group 3.2, which permits four-wheel drive quads with a maximum engine displacement of 900cc, in either single or twin cylinder layout.<ref name="Bike-quad"/>

Yamaha went unbeaten in the Quad category as an official class, with their main opposition coming courtesy of Honda and [[Can-Am Off-Road|Can-Am]].

Quads were dropped from the Dakar in 2025 due to declining manufacturer support.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.advpulse.com/adv-news/dakar-pulls-the-plug-on-the-quad-class-for-2025/|title=Dakar Pulls The Plug On The Quad Class For 2025|website=ADV Pulse|date=4 April 2024|access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref>

===Cars===
{{see also|Group T1|Group T2}}
The car class is made up of vehicles weighing less than {{convert|3500|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}, which are subdivided into several categories. T1 is made up of "Improved Cross-Country Vehicles", subdivided according to engine type (petrol or diesel) and drive type (two-wheel or four-wheel drive), while T2 is made up of "Cross-Country Series Production Vehicles", which are subdivided into petrol and diesel categories. There is also an "Open" category catering for vehicles conforming to [[SCORE International]] regulations.<ref name="Car-truck">{{cite web |url=http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2014/docs/Reglement_Auto_Camion_Dakar_2014_US.pdf|title=Dakar Car-Truck regulations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108132116/http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2014/docs/Reglement_Auto_Camion_Dakar_2014_US.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Mini (marque)|Mini]] have been the most successful marque in the car category in recent years, thanks to the efforts of the non-factory [[X-raid]] team, with limited involvement currently coming from [[Toyota]], [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[Great Wall Motors|Haval]]. Several constructors also produce bespoke buggies for the event, most notably SMG and Damen Jefferies.

[[Mitsubishi Motors|Mitsubishi]] is historically the most successful manufacturer in the car class, with [[Volkswagen]], [[Citroën]], [[Peugeot]] and [[Porsche]] having all tasted success in the past with factory teams. [[Jean-Louis Schlesser]] has also won the event twice with his [[Renault]]-supported buggies. Factory teams from [[Nissan Motor Company|Nissan]] and [[SEAT]] have also won stages, as has [[BMW]], courtesy of the [[X-raid]] team.

===Trucks===
{{see also|Group T5}}
[[Image:Vladimir Chagin.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Vladimir Chagin]], the "Tsar of Dakar", is the most successful truck driver]]
The Truck class, first run as a separate category in 1980, is made up of vehicles weighing more than {{convert|3500|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. Trucks participating in the competition are subdivided into "Series Production" trucks (T4.1) and "Modified" trucks (T4.2), whilst Group T4.3 (formerly known as T5) trucks are [[rally support truck]]s – meaning they travel from bivouac to bivouac to support the competition vehicles.<ref name="Car-truck"/> These were introduced to the rally in 1998. The truck event was not run in 1989 after it was decided the vehicles, by this stage with twin engines generating in excess of 1000 horsepower, were too dangerous following the death of a [[DAF Trucks|DAF]] crew member in an accident during the 1988 rally.<ref name="retrospective"/>

[[Kamaz]] has dominated the truck category since the turn of the century, although it has come under increasing pressure from rivals such as [[Iveco]], [[MAN SE|MAN]], [[Renault Trucks|Renault]], and [[Tatra (company)|Tatra]], which enjoyed much success in the 1990s. [[Hino Motors|Hino]], [[DAF Trucks|DAF]], [[Perlini]], and [[Mercedes-Benz]] have also been among the winners in the past.

===UTVs===
{{see also|Group T3|Group T4}}
The [[Side-by-side (vehicle)|utility task vehicle]] (UTV) category was introduced in 2017. Before this, UTVs ran under the car category as the T3 class. The class rapidly gained in popularity, and in 2021 the class was further subdivided into separate T3 light prototypes category, and T4 SSVs, which are based on production vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dakar.com/en/dakar-world/categories|title = Categories}}</ref>

===Classics===
A new Dakar Classic class was introduced in 2021 for cars and trucks manufactured before 2000, or new vehicles built to original pre-2000 specification. For the fifth edition in 2025, rules allowed another five years where 2005 became the latest specification year for the class, effectively making the rule 20 years for classification as classics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://storage-aso.lequipe.fr/ASO/motorSports_ccr/dak25-plaquette-dakar-classic-uk-v1.pdf|title=2025 Dakar Classic|website=Dakar Rally|publisher=[[Amaury Sport Organisation]]|access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref>

These vehicles share the same bivouac and the organization but run in a parallel, yet different route, suitable for historic vehicles. The scoreboard is not based on fastest time, but rather on [[regularity rally]] point scoring system. The class feature a reduced entry fee, yet the same rules and fees apply for the assistance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://netstorage.lequipe.fr/ASO/motorSports_dak/e-dakar-tour-en.pdf
|website=dakar.com
|title=Dakar 2021 Presentation
|access-date=2020-11-06
}}</ref>