Dacia has officially unveiled the Duster No Limit rally car. Built specifically for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the one-off racer was constructed by Tork Engineering with the assistance of Renault Sport Technologies. It will compete in the Unlimited class, which has lenient regulations, so designers were free to let their minds run wild. As such, the Duster features a tubular chassis, a lightweight composite body, and massive rear wing.

Power is provided by a mid-mounted engine that is based on the 3.8-litre V6 used in the Nissan GT-R. Detailed performance specifications haven’t been released, but Dacia says the engine develops 634 kW and is connected to a six-speed sequential Sadev transmission.

The Dacio Duster off-roader has become the star of parent company Renault Group’s motorsport activities, taking part in competitions like France’s Trophée Andros ice-racing series with Alain Prost (two runner-up titles), the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles (2nd and 3rd places in 2011) and, very soon, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The car will be driven by Jean-Philippe Dayraut, a three-time winner of the Trophée Andros, who said “The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the only event where you get to keep a monster like this in check while drifting at speeds of 200 km/h (124 mph) on a course which features a mix of asphalt and dirt. I can’t think of any other form of motorsport where such cars are authorised.”

Dacia, a division of Renault Group, has released the details of the Duster – a new mid-size car that it says is unashamedly rugged and capable off-road in a time when most SUVs are just showy city cruisers.

The Duster will initially be launched in emerging markets from the second quarter 2010 where Dacia believes it has found a niche.

“The middle classes aspire to owning a modern car that reflects their social status. At the same time, they want a strong car that is reliable, versatile and capable of standing up to climatic demands and conditions that can be both tough and varied,” the company said in a statement.

Sales will start in Turkey, Algeria and Morocco before spreading throughout Ukraine, the Middle East and parts of Africa from June. In 2011 the Duster will expand to the Gulf States, Russia and Brazil, with the car to be badged as a Renault in some markets and production to be carried out in Romania and Moscow.

At just 4.31 meters long and 1.82 meters wide, the Duster has similar dimensions to the Renault Koleos but weighs far less. It is far more off-road focused with a high ground clearance (more than 200 mm) and good clearance angles (30 degrees approach, 35+ degrees departure).

An 82 kW 1.6-litre petrol engine joins two diesel powerplants (one with 63 kW, the other 78 kW), with all three currently under the bonnets of other cars in the Renault group. The 4×2 emits less than 140 g/km CO2 while the 4×4 version is similarly impressive at just below 150 g/km.

Front and side airbags are standard depending on the market and specification level, as are ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist.

To show how tough their new Duster is, Dacia have entered a competition version of the Duster in the Trophee Andros Ice-Racing Series, in the hands of renowned racing driver Alain Prost.

Adapted from CarAdvice