Motor sports are all about the synergy between man and machine – on racetracks, but more especially off-road. Wherever limits are explored and even surpassed from time to time, it is essential that performance is combined with reliability. Rally sport is considered a master class, and the Dakar Rally represents its most prestigious and toughest test.

In 2004, Cornel De Villiers wins the Dakar Rally for Rotax for the first time: “My Bombardier DS650 Baja X ATV, virtually a stock machine, with its powerful Rotax TM engine and great chassis was unbelievable, especially in the dunes“, says the South African after his victory, acknowledging the importance of the Rotax engine.

The following year too, BRP is equal to this more than 9,000-kilometer challenge, not least thanks to Rotax: the Rotax Type 654 DS engine with modified gear ratio, reinforced clutch and performance upgraded to 70 HP proves outstandingly reliable across Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal – helping the BRP ATV to victory in the quads category! Thanks to the liquid-cooled four-cylinder Rotax engine, Antoine Morel is the only one to cross the Dakar Rally finish line in his quad.

In addition to motor sports, the new off-road vehicles inspired by the 810 ATV also perform well in the market. The Rotax 800cc two cylinder 62 HP engine that powers them is an essential constituent of the ATV sector. 2005 sees the start of racing success on the Can-Am Outlander, with the Rotax 810-powered vehicle winning the GNCC (Grand National Cross Country) utility class titles in the USA for the rest of the decade. Mike Penland and Michael Swift are the most successful riders.