The Range Rover Evoque, with its easy-to-park dimensions and Victoria Beckham-designed interior probably wouldn't be your first choice for a car to tackle the infamous Dakar rally. But you'd be wrong.

With bulging wheels arches, a long-range fuel tank and enormous tyres that have never been anywhere near a Range Rover options list, this Evoque-styled rally car - named the slightly less catchy D4 WN5 - will be following in the tyre tracks left by the equally pumped-up Bowler Wildcat.

Evoque Dakar
The D4 WN5: The Range Rover Evoque done properly

The all-British rally team, Excite Rallye Raid, will be competing in the gruelling 14-day desert rally in 2013 with three specially-built cars commissioned by RaBe Race Cars.

Featuring a 3.0 litre BMW engine producing 275bhp and an impressive 480lb ft of torque, the 1,900kg D4 WN5 and its team of Martin Rowe, Andrew Coley and John Hardy will be well-equipped for the challenge.

Measuring 3.8m long and running on 16 inch RallyRaid wheels with BF Goodrich desert race tyres, the Evoque-style body hides a bespoke chassis made from T45 tubes and features a trick suspension which costs £5000 per corner.

The Dakar is arguably the toughest rally in the world and to cope with the 5600-mile challenge, the D4 WN5 has been fitted with a corner control valve, which detects whether the driver is on a straight or a corner and adjusts the compression dampening of the outer wheel, reducing body roll. A rebound control valve softens the dampening depending on whether the wheels are on the ground or not, just proving what a tough environment the Dakar really is.