# Daily Drive: Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger leads the pack, color-shifting Porsches, a hidden Schumacher icon, and a cheaper LDV > 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:... > Published 2026-01-03 by Thomas Nismenth. 8 min read (1663 words). > Blog: News at AutoWin (https://www.autowin.com). ## Details - Canonical URL: https://www.autowin.com/en/blogs/news/ford-dakar-t1-rally-challenger-unveiled-daily-car-news-2026-01-03 - Author: Thomas Nismenth - Published: 2026-01-03 - Updated: 2026-01-23 - Reading time: 8 minutes - Word count: 1663 - Topics: active color, Automotive, automotive news, car inspection, Car News, Daily, F1 history, Ford Dakar, LDV Terron 9, Michael Schumacher, News, Porsche tech, rally racing - Featured image: https://www.autowin.it/cdn/shop/articles/daily-car-news-2026-01-03.png?v=1767421983&width=1200 ## Summary Daily Drive: Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger leads the pack, color-shifting Porsches, a hidden Schumacher icon, and a cheaper LDVI 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. Story ... ## Full Article Daily Drive: Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger leads the pack, color-shifting Porsches, a hidden Schumacher icon, and a cheaper LDVI 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. Story Key detail Why it matters Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger Factory-built T1+ rig; roughly 350mm travel; 37-inch tires Signals a serious, big-money Ford push at Dakar Porsche’s shape-shifting color tech Active exterior surface that can swap hues Might change how we spec, insure, and repair cars Schumacher’s first GP winner for sale Ex-Renault holdover; early-’90s Benetton era A milestone in modern F1 goes to auction New Hampshire inspection tweak Controversial rule gets scrapped Lower owner hassle; fresh safety debate LDV Terron 9 price drop (AU) Down $3000 to $47,990 drive-away New-car value that dents used-car plans Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger: a sandstorm with a steering wheelI 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. Did you know? Dakar racers can cover well over 5,000 km across dunes, rock, and misery. That’s like driving from Miami to Seattle, but half of it is sand trying to eat your car.Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger vs rivals: who’s bringing what Vehicle FIA class Powertrain Approx. power Susp. travel Notable notes Ford Dakar T1+ Rally Challenger T1+ Turbocharged petrol (endurance-focused) ~400 hp (reg-limited) ~350 mm Factory Ford backing; big cooling, big spares Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ T1+ 3.5L twin-turbo V6 ~400 hp (reg-limited) ~350 mm Proven Dakar pedigree; ultra-reliable Prodrive Hunter T1+ Twin-turbo V6 ~400 hp (reg-limited) ~350 mm Stage-winning pace; clever aero packaging Audi RS Q e-tron T1U Electric drive with ICE generator Regulated output ~350 mm Hybrid-electric strategy; energy management weapon 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 carChoosing 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. Side tip: If this tech hits showrooms, ask about warranty coverage for UV fade, car-wash damage, and panel-matching after repairs.Schumacher’s breakout F1 winner emerges for sale: history you can startSome 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-awayLDV 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 fluorescen... ## Related Store Context - [AutoWin Blog & News](https://www.autowin.com/blogs/news): Automotive news and fitment guides - [AutoWin Store Index](https://www.autowin.com/llms.txt): Full product catalog for AI agents - [Agent Instructions](https://www.autowin.com/agents.md): Commerce protocol and Shop skill - Reviews verified on [AutiVex](https://autivex.com/business/autowin-com): AutoWin customer ratings