Foton makes maiden entry to 2014 Dakar Rally

Chinese automaker Foton Motor is out to prove itself this year at the 36th Edition of the Dakar Rally. The annual desert rally is considered the world’s most extreme automotive competition, notorious for being the harshest and most dangerous; it is followed by millions of people worldwide.

The two-weeklong rally from January 5 to 18 runs through nearly 5,000 kilometers of mixed extreme terrain in South America. The rally route runs from Rosario, Argentina through Bolivia and finishes in the Chilean city of Valpariaso.

The Chinese automaker is fielding two Tunland (Thunder) pickup truck based competition vehicles with experienced drivers and navigators from Chile. Eguiguren Luis and Claudio Espinoza drives truck number 369, while father and son tandem Chicharro Alvaro and Cicharro Alvaro Jr. will drive the 411 truck. Both pickups will be assigned a Foton Auman truck as support vehicles running through a similar route throughout the competition.

The Chinese automaker was quite frugal with their vehicle specs. Only revealing that the vehicles were prepared in-house at the Foton factory, under the hood is a GM 5.3-liter V8 engine.

Foton is the third brand to enter the Dakar Rally after Chery and Great Wall Motor with their Haval global brand. As of presstime, entry 369 did not make it to the starting line; Entry 411 is still running.

中国军团再添新丁 福田汽车首战达喀尔

2014年1月5日，被誉为“世界上最艰苦的汽车赛事”的第36届达喀尔拉力赛在南美洲拉开战幕。在13天的时间里车手将穿越阿根廷、玻利维亚、智利三个国家，近一万公里的复杂路况，戈壁、沙漠、草丛、盐沼、海岸线考验着赛手的意志和赛车的品质。本届赛事，中国军团再添新丁，福田汽车首次派出两辆拓陆者皮卡参加汽车组的争夺，并邀请了经验丰富的外籍专业车手和导航员，他们驾驶的369号和411号蓝色福田战车也成为媒体关注的焦点。

达喀尔的蓝精灵 新浪汽车解析福田达喀尔赛车