The team behind Racecar Engineering is going off-road to explore technological innovations in a wide range of categories, from rally to autograss. This special issue includes in-depth features on the cars competing in the World Rally Championship, how safety measures are implemented on the stages and a visit to the FIA’s little-known technical research facility.Many off-road series are pushing for electrification and their efforts to increase sustainability present a key theme. We find out how, deep in the Alps, the Andros Trophy is promoting zero-emission ice racing that befits the fragile environment it calls home. The same can be said on a larger scale for Extreme E, which has taken its all-electric Odyssey 21 across the globe to places affected by climate change. World Rallycross and Audi’s Dakar Rally programme have also been part of the electrification drive.Alongside those developments, off-road racing is also steeped in tradition and there are several disciplines keeping firmly in touch with their roots. Hillclimbing remains popular on the cliff edges of Pikes Peak and the narrow courses of the UK, while rallying’s historic charm is upheld by a Welsh company’s efforts to build new versions of a classic model.This 116-page special edition is essential reading for engineers, designers and anyone interested in the technical side of rallying and everything else off-road. Buckle up!
