1998 IPSO E-Leclerc 4x4 Dakar Rally Raid Prototype

1998 IPSO E-Leclerc 4x4 Rally Raid Prototype

An exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the rarest Dakar-era Rally Raid prototypes ever built.

This IPSO E-Leclerc represents a highly significant piece of cross-country rally history from the golden era of Dakar competition.

Rarity

It is believed that only four units were originally constructed:

One destroyed
One in unknown whereabouts
One fully restored operational example (this vehicle)
One additional original chassis on sale
This makes this offering one of the most exclusive Dakar-related vehicles known to exist in private hands.

Provenance

The vehicle is directly linked to Dakar Rally history and is associated with legendary Rally Raid competition driver Pierre Lartigue, one of the most successful figures in the discipline.

Specification & Condition

Genuine IPSO E-Leclerc 4x4 Rally Raid prototype
Fully restored and operational
Maintained in running condition
Suitable for historic Rally Raid events, display, or collection
Collector significance

This is not a standard competition vehicle. It is a rare surviving prototype from an experimental Dakar program, representing an important era of French Rally Raid engineering.

Vehicles of this type rarely, if ever, reach the public market.

Documentation

Full history file, restoration documentation, and additional media available upon serious request.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

This unit is the only remaining fully operational and original example of the IPSO E-LECLERC 4×4 Rally Raid Prototype (Peugeot heritage project), developed in the late 1990s using advanced engineering solutions of its time.

It was conceived using high-performance components and design principles derived from top-level Rally Raid programs of the era, including technologies comparable to those used in the Peugeot 205 T16 and Citroën ZX Rallye Raid projects.

The vehicle competed in the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup with multiple top-level drivers, including Pierre Lartigue, after his departure from Citroën Sport, as well as French driver Bruno Gilles.

HISTORY & RESTORATION

In 2021, the vehicle underwent a complete “nut-and-bolt” restoration:

Fully disassembled to bare chassis
Complete rebuild of mechanical, structural, and safety systems
Reassembled to operational racing specification
Subsequently entered and completed the Dakar Classic 2022
The car remains in excellent operational condition and is maintained in running order.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Drivetrain

Permanent 4×4 drivetrain
Rear-mid engine configuration, mounted low for optimal center of gravity
5-speed SADEV sequential gearbox + reverse
SADEV transfer case with selectable high/low range
High-strength SADEV driveshafts and transmission system
Engine

3,997 cc inline 6-cylinder engine
Rally Raid specification
Rear-mounted and positioned very low in the chassis for balance and stability
Braking System

AP Racing braking system
6-piston calipers front and rear
High-performance ventilated discs
Clutch

AP Racing twin-plate racing clutch system
Suspension

DONERRE rally suspension system
2 dampers per wheel (8 total units)
Fully adjustable competition setup
Fuel System

2 FIA-approved safety fuel tanks (replaced at the end of 2021)
Safety Equipment

FIA-approved bucket seats (new 2021)
Fire suppression system (new 2021)
Racing harnesses (new 2021)
Full FIA safety equipment compliant with cross-country rally standards
Navigation & Electronics

Satellite communication antennas for Rally Raid competition
Professional-grade navigation and rally equipment
Dakar / Cross-Country rally instrumentation
BALANCE & PERFORMANCE

The vehicle has been engineered with an optimized weight distribution, designed specifically for long-distance desert rally conditions, ensuring stability, durability, and high-speed off-road performance.