The Volkswagen Baja Bug that Diego Delespeaux raced in the 2022 and 2023 Dakar Classics is up for sale.

Nostalgia Cars set an asking price of €20,000 without an engine, though the 2.3-liter VW Type 1 engine can be included for €12,500. The Trans Works USA T2 gearbox costs €7,500, and the company is also offering a €5,000 box of spare parts.

When people hear of the Baja Bug, they naturally immediately think of Class 5 desert racing as seen in the Baja 1000. However, the vehicle has also seen action in rallies, especially vintage races. For example, the inaugural Dakar Classic in 2021 saw Benoit Callewaert compete in a 1968 Bug. The same race also had Sunhill Buggies piloted by Frédéric Verdaguer and Marc Douton, which are powered by Volkswagen motors.

Delespeaux’s buggy was built on the platform of a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. He and Bertrand Drouspy stripped the bodywork and widened the suspension, then installed the engine and gearbox. It also comes with a 42-millimeter tubular chassis, 3×2 rear trailing arms from Revol Engineering, Kartek reinforced off-road front suspension, P2S (Performance Suspension), 100-liter Jaz fuel tank, BTR wheels, and a UMP air filter system. Electric power steering, dual fuel pumps with DASH-spec fuel and oil lines, and an optimized cooling system with dual fans are available as well.

Nostalgia Cars, a Belgian dealer based in La Glanerie, helped prepare the car for Dakar. Verdaguer served as team manager.

At the 2022 Classic, Delespeaux finished 58th overall and 23rd in H2. A year later, he improved to 13th outright and fourth for H2 cars.

The buggy is eligible for all vintage rallies including the Dakar Classic and Rallye du Maroc Classic.

Featured image credit: Aurélien Vialatte / ASO