For twenty years, Karel Loprais was one of many high truck racers on the Paris–Dakar Rally as he received the class six instances in his Tatra 815. In his honour, Tatra Vans introduced Tuesday that they’ve began Projekt T 162 “Karel”, an effort to construct the Tatra T 162.
The Tatra T 162 was conceived in 1988, the identical 12 months that Loprais received the Dakar for the primary time, as a heavy dump truck meant to interchange the 815. Naturally, the producer additionally hoped to convey it to the Dakar Rally with Loprais. Though a prototype was created, it by no means entered manufacturing and was changed by the T 163 Jamal.
The Karel, named in tribute to Loprais, is a rally raid model of the 162, that includes a twelve-cylinder engine on the rear; this was designed to assist Tatra hold tempo with different truck powerhouses on the Dakar just like the twin-engined DAF. Nevertheless, it is going to be modernised to accommodate for technological advances within the 4 a long time since.
Whereas mum or dad Tatra Vans a.s. is greenlighting the hassle, it’s nonetheless a facet mission for workers, which the corporate analogises to Method Scholar programmes at universities. The analysis and improvement and technical departments will lead the mission. Over two dozen workers are concerned.
Loprais, who labored for Tatra rising up, received the Paris–Dakar Rally in 1988, 1994 to 1994, 1998 to 1999, and 2001. His ultimate Dakar was in 2006 earlier than retiring, and he handed away in December 2021 on the age of 72. His nephew Aleš Loprais can also be a rally raider who completed runner-up within the 2024 Dakar Rally’s Truck class, although he drives a Praga.
