Imperial Toyota Hilux is taming the dunes

The South Africa Toyota team to compete in the 2012 Dakar Rally in South America in January has returned from a grueling sand testing session in Namibia.

Giniel de Villiers, the 2009 Dakar Rally winner, and four-time national champion Duncan Vos between them completed more than 1500km of driving in the two Imperial Toyota Hilux double cabs that will compete in the premier T1 class of the world's longest and toughest motor race.

"One word sums up the past few days - invaluable," said team manager Glyn Hall. "It's been a long and tiring exercise, more than 2400km by road from our home base, in a remote part of Namibia, with the team working from before dawn until after sunset every day. However, we've learnt a great deal and successfully completed a major part of our preparation for the big race in January," said Hall.

"If we hadn't gone to Namibia, despite all the testing we've done throughout the current Absa Off Road Championship season, we wouldn't be in the strong position we are today."

The majestic sand dunes of the Skeleton Coast south of Walvis Bay were home to the team.

The two South African-built Hilux double cabs came through the stringent tests with flying colours - they completed the equivalent distance of four national championship off-road races - and will now compete in the final round of the series, the RFS Magalies 400 this weekend.

"We had a few challenges to overcome, but then that's why we went there," Hall said. "Essentially, we achieved two things: we improved the performance of the racing Hilux and we identified areas we have to work on if we want to achieve the kind of reliability that is required to complete nearly 9000km in Argentina, Chile and Peru, some 5000km of which will be under racing conditions."

De Villiers declared himself satisfied with the test and the Hilux. "It's going to be competitive and has great potential. I was impressed with its overall performance in the Namib."