Continue this wave
2016 Kia Sportage
Media library
6 photos
Media Studies
6 imagesView all 6 images
Story
Sahara Rift Protocol takes the early-2000s Grand Prix—normally remembered for front-drive commuting and supercharger whine—and drags it into the Dakar rulebook with a trophy-truck mindset. The recognizable roofline and glass stay, but everything below the beltline becomes purpose-built: composite widebody, boxed flares, a sand-shedding splitter, and cooling apertures sized for sustained high-load running in brutal heat.
Under the skin, the sedan’s street geometry is replaced by long-travel suspension, a widened track, and a full-time 4WD driveline centered around a lockable diff and a 6-speed sequential. It’s the kind of build that reads wrong until you see the engineering: big tire clearance at full articulation, real underbody protection, and airflow management designed for dust, not dyno graphs.
Blueprint
The Whitepaper Room
Inspect drawing ↗Open blueprint study →Collectible Poster
Collector's Edition
Inspect poster ↗Technical dossier
Fictional engineering concept
Platform
2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
Powertrain concept
Front-engine layout retained with desert-focused cooling and filtration
6-speed sequential rally gearbox replacing the OEM transaxle architecture
Full-time 4WD with lockable center differential for variable traction
Reinforced driveline and CVs designed for big tire load and heat management
Aero package
Extruded aluminum sand-deflector splitter extending ~210 mm with reinforced mounts
Carbon hood with raised intake scoop and twin heat-extractor vents
Roof scoop feeding cabin-mounted heat exchangers and fresh-air supply
Rear diffuser panel with multi-strake layout for stability at speed
Dual-element adjustable rear wing on tall swan-neck pylons for high-speed desert balance
Chassis & stance
2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
Wheels & tires
17x9 beadlock-style wheels in matte black (Method Race Wheels-inspired)
375/65R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A pattern for sand/gravel durability
High-clearance arches with ~35 mm sidewall margin at full bump/lock
Widened track: +200 mm front
+230 mm rear for stability and travel
Fabrication notes
Front crash structure re-engineered to support radiator/intercooler stack and ducted coolers
Multi-piece skid system (engine
gearbox
transfer
rear) with service access panels
Widened suspension pickup points and reinforced subframes to carry long-travel loads
Sealed ducting and dust management: pre-filtered intake path and protected cooler inlets
Steel-reinforced mounts for mudflaps and aero elements to survive repeated impacts
Keep exploring
Different origins. Forgotten Cars
2006 Scion xB
Redwood Rally Forge
Continue the exhibitionRally Everything: Vol. 2We’re diving headfirst into the wild world where luxury sedans and quirky wagons don battle gear for the unforgiving sands and rocky trails of rally lore.Build 2 of 6↗