- Genesis brand ambassador Jacky Ickx, 80, drove part of the 2025 Dakar Rally in a GV80
- Ickx drove a bespoke GV80 known as the Desert Edition
- The GV80 Desert Edition features a stance 40 millimeters wider than stock
Belgian racing legend Jacky Ickx took part this month in the 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia behind the wheel of a one-off Genesis GV80 SUV called the Desert Edition.
The winner of multiple Formula 1 races as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a Genesis brand ambassador and closely involved in the development of the automaker’s LMDh endurance race car, and the return to Dakar marks another milestone in his collaboration with the brand.
Ickx, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, has a storied history with the Dakar Rally, having claimed victory in 1983. This year, he tackled the grueling event alongside his daughter Vanina, covering approximately 3,700 miles of the rally’s 5,000-mile route across the Saudi Arabian desert. The father-daughter duo rekindled memories of their 2000 Paris-Dakar-Cairo Rally journey.
The rally icon took delivery of the bespoke GV80 Desert Edition on Dec. 31 at the Genesis showroom in Riyadh. Developed in partnership with Dubai-based W Motors, the vehicle boasts a wider stance—up 40 millimeters front and rear compared to stock—as well as 20-inch forged bead-lock wheels shod with all-terrain tires.
Jacky Ickx and the Genesis GV80 Desert Edition at the 2025 Dakar Rally
The suspension was also modified to handle the rough desert conditions, including providing more ground clearance and travel, improved damping, and enhanced stability on soft sand dunes. A new drive mode designed specifically for desert conditions was also added to the vehicle.
According to Genesis, Ickx was impressed with the suspension system and the additional visibility provided by a custom lighting system featured on the vehicle. The lighting system includes LED auxiliary lights integrated into the front fascia, A-pillars, and roof. A custom roof rack is equipped with mounts for fuel canisters, sandboards, and a rooftop tent.
Genesis has yet to announce production plans for the GV80 Desert Edition, but as a one-off model, its capabilities were fully showcased in this year’s Dakar Rally, which concluded on Jan. 17 with a victory by Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk driving a Toyota GR Hilux Evo.
