Daily Drive: Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger leads the pack, color-shifting Porsches, a hidden Schumacher icon, and a cheaper LDV

I was halfway through my first coffee when the world decided to throw sand in the air. On today’s board: the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger that looks ready to punch dunes into submission, a Porsche party trick that could make paint samples feel quaint, a long-hidden Schumacher winner looking for a new home, a New Hampshire rule tweak for the salt-belt survivors, and an Aussie price drop that’ll make family spreadsheets smile. Let’s get into it.

Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger: a sandstorm with a steering wheel

I don’t care how many hypercars you’ve floored—your internal g-sensor gets rewired the first time a top-line Dakar rig hits whoops at highway speed. Ford’s new, factory-backed T1+ looks like a Ranger that spent its gap year in Baja and came back with a gym membership. The recipe, as ever, is brutalist: around 350mm of suspension travel, 37-inch rubber with sidewalls like sofa cushions, a cockpit that’s more aircraft than auto, and a turbocharged engine tuned to live forever at full chat. Power’s pegged by class regs (roughly 400 hp), but the numbers only tell half the story. The other half is heat management and the dark art of not breaking.

When I’ve tested long-travel rigs on rock-strewn backroads, the good ones land nose-up, shrug off the second hit, and give you the same firm brake pedal at the tenth big stop as the first. Ford’s leaning on rally brains and endurance know-how here—clever cooling, obsessive packaging, and shocks that don’t boil the minute the sun looks at them funny. Two million quid makes accountants cry, sure, but Dakar charges interest in rocks and exhaustion. If the Ford finishes near the sharp end, the bill will read like an investment.

• Spec snapshot (typical T1+): ~400 hp; ~350mm suspension travel; 37-inch tires; oversized cooling; multi-cell fuel tanks.
• Why you’ll care: A committed Ford program means a proper arms race with Toyota, Prodrive, and Audi.
• Road car tie-in: Shock tuning, thermal tricks, and traction logic tend to trickle down to Raptors and Rangers.

Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger vs rivals: who’s bringing what

Note: Dakar/World Rally-Raid regs cap output and tightly define travel. Figures are typical/approximate and vary by event and balance-of-performance changes.

What the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger teaches your next pickup

• Damper durability: valving and fluid that stay consistent after hours of abuse.
• Thermal headroom: radiators, intercoolers, and airflow that shrug off desert heat.
• Traction brains: smarter diffs and throttle mapping for loose surfaces.

Porsche wants to retire paint: the age of the shapeshifter car

Choosing a Porsche color has ended friendships. Guards Red or Gentian Blue? Now imagine tapping a button and swapping shades like you would a watch strap. Porsche is exploring active exterior surfaces—think advanced films or multilayer coatings—that can change color on demand. We’ve seen early takes (E Ink-style demos, anyone?), but the dream is the same: daily mood ring, full-scale.

I love the idea, with my usual reality checks. Winter grit, rogue shopping carts, and the world’s angriest automatic car wash will want a word about longevity. Then there’s the paperwork: how do you register or insure a car that’s silver on Tuesday and teal on Saturday? Still, the upsides are real. Cool car, fewer paint regrets—and possibly thermal benefits if you go lighter in summer. On a dreary commute, that’s a small joy.

• Promises: Personalization on demand; potential heat management; fewer up-front paint choices.
• Questions: Durability, repairability, legality, and cost when a panel gets keyed.
• Lifestyle play: Track day in white; date night in Night Blue; cars-and-coffee in “don’t talk to me” purple.

Schumacher’s breakout F1 winner emerges for sale: history you can start

Some cars carry their own soundtrack before you even fire them. Michael Schumacher’s first Grand Prix winner—squirreled away for years within Renault’s orbit—has reportedly been prepped for sale. Your mind goes right to the early ’90s, Benetton overalls, and Spa rain that turned talent into legend. This isn’t just a grid-filler with a famous name; it’s the first domino in a career that reshaped modern F1.

I’ve stood next to era-correct cars at Goodwood and the smell alone—hot brakes, race fuel, old rubber—will knock you sideways. If you’ve got the means, you’re not just buying a museum piece, you’re buying a reason to hire a small team and let a V8 sing again. The rest of us? We’ll live off the auction photos and shaky paddock videos like always.

• Pedigree: The chassis that marked Schumacher’s first GP win—true “start of something big” energy.
• Ownership reality: Track days involve a crew, setup time, and a fuel bill that reads like a phone number.
• Value: Blue-chip history. Provenance you can point to and feel.

New Hampshire loosens a vehicle rule: cheaper, easier… safe enough?

New Hampshire just binned a particular inspection rule that loved flagging rust-belt survivors. As someone who’s lived through New England winters, I’ve watched honest cars fail for crust that was more cosmetic than catastrophic. The upside is less hassle and a bit more cash in your pocket. The downside? Some truly tired cars may dodge the referee for another year.

Day to day, expect fewer nitpicks and easier renewals. But if you’re buying used up there, take a flashlight. Crawl under, check frame rails and subframes, scrutinize brake and fuel lines, and read the tire dates. Regulations ebb and flow; your safety habits shouldn’t.

• Upside: Lower ownership friction; fewer borderline fails on corrosion.
• Concern: Rough cars might remain on the road longer. Buyer beware.
• Tip: Book a thorough underbody rinse after the salt season. Your car will thank you later.

LDV Terron 9: a sharper Australian deal at $47,990 drive-away

LDV has clipped $3000 off the Terron 9, landing at $47,990 drive-away in Australia. That’s the kind of clean, no-surprises number that saves you from doing maths in a dealership office under fluorescent lighting. The LDV pitch is familiar and honest: space, kit, and warranty calm for families who actually use their cars, without the badge-tax.

When I’ve done family-hauler comparison tests, a lower sticker often buys sanity elsewhere—roof bars for the ski run, a quality dashcam, maybe a set of winter tires so you’re not white-knuckling it to Falls Creek. Just make sure the infotainment doesn’t lag like a 2012 tablet and check child-seat fit before you sign anything.

• New price: $47,990 drive-away (down $3000).
• Buyer angle: New-car peace of mind versus a risky used buy.
• Reality check: Test responsiveness, smartphone mirroring, and camera quality in bright sun and at night.

Quick takeaways on the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger and friends

• Racing is still the best lab: Ford’s Dakar push should pay off in the next Raptor or Ranger tune.
• Active-color exteriors could make options lists smaller—and insurance forms weirder.
• Schumacher provenance isn’t hype when it marks the start of a dynasty.
• Fewer inspection hurdles don’t replace a good flashlight and a crawl under the car.
• Value sells weekends, not just cars: LDV’s cut will pull shoppers out of the used lot.

Conclusion: the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger sets the tone

From dunes to driveways, today’s batch shows the spread. The Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger throws serious money at surviving the desert, Porsche wants your car to dress for the occasion, a slice of Schumacher’s origin story is changing hands, New Hampshire bets on lighter regulation, and LDV trims the bill for the sensible set. Tougher. Smarter. More attainable. On the right day, you can have all three.

FAQ

How much does the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger cost?

Figure around £2 million for a factory-spec T1+ racer—Dakar-grade parts and support aren’t cheap.

What makes the Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger special?

It’s a purpose-built T1+ rally-raid machine with long-travel suspension (~350mm), 37-inch tires, and endurance-focused engineering to sprint across brutal terrain for thousands of kilometers.

How would Porsche’s color-changing exterior work in the real world?

Via an active surface—likely layered films or coatings with electrically responsive pigments—letting you change hues on demand. The big unknowns are durability, repair standards, and legal/insurance rules.

Which car was Schumacher’s first F1 winner?

His first Grand Prix victory came in the early 1990s with Benetton at Spa-Francorchamps; the winning chassis, long kept within Renault’s sphere, is now being offered for sale.

What did New Hampshire change about inspections?

The state scrapped a specific requirement known for flagging rusty, high-mile cars. It should reduce ownership hassle, though it puts more responsibility on buyers and owners to monitor safety.