Interesting lot at Aguttes Brussels on 11th October - The Jules 2 prototype - in period sponsored by Dior to compete in the Paris Dakar....Anyway now restored and with a Chevy V8 and 930 turbo gearbox - ideal high profile buggy to compete in events like the Moroccan Desert challenge...reasonably estimated too - copy below has been translated using Google translate from French - so read it with that in mind...
Jules 2 Prototype 6x4 Dakar – 1984
Chassis No. CE234Z110323(01)
Belgian registration document (see text)
Vehicle sold without technical inspection
January 1, 1984, at misty dawn, Paris, Place du Trocadéro, gathering point for 427 cars, motorcycles, trucks, and unidentified vehicles. It was the start of the now traditional automotive event followed by the entire planet, the famous Paris-Dakar, born from the crazy ideas of guru Thierry Sabine. Among his disciples and friends was the equally indescribable Thierry de Montcorgé, with the face of an actor and the life of an adventurer, who was passionate about off-roading, mechanics, and avant-garde technology. That morning, he was particularly eagerly awaited, as he was one of the stars of the 1981 edition, driving the legendary Rolls Jules, a car brought back into the spotlight and sold a year earlier by Aguttes. Back to January 1, 1984, at the misty dawn in Paris, at the Place du Trocadero: Thierry de Montcorgé appeared at the wheel of a six-wheeled vehicle with futuristic, angular lines, a machine straight out of Mad Max... We have to go back to 1981 to understand its genesis.
After the success of the 1981 Paris Dakar Rally, Thierry heard about the Peking-Paris Motoring Challenge, a rally whose concept was to connect the two capitals across the Soviet Union and Europe via virtually unknown routes and until then closed and unexplored lands. The myth of the route (already completed in 1907!), the toughness of the event (very different from the Dakar), the trust established with Dior (one meeting was enough to renew the partnership) very quickly decided Thierry de Montcorgé to embark on the adventure, and to tackle the construction of a custom-made machine alone. A titanic project. Sketches and drawings followed, and the specifications were quickly defined: six wheels, four of which were driven, a tubular chassis, a Kevlar body, a 370 hp 5.7L Chevrolet V8 (like the Rolls Royce), and a heavily modified Porsche 930 four-speed gearbox, with interchangeable parts and suspension components designed with reduced resistance to fuse and avoid damaging the chassis and running gear, disc brakes, dual 150L side fuel tanks with aviation foam to prevent weight transfer, a cozy and comfortable interior with a constant cabin pressure system... It was clear that the car that would be named Jules 2 was tailor-made for the Beijing-Paris race.
But that was without taking into account the cancellation, without postponement, of the event. Out of spite, Thierry decided to finish building his prototype and honor the partnership he had established with Dior and Jules by entering the 1984 Dakar Rally. But by then, Thierry knew that Jules 2 had not been designed for the Dakar. The only major change was logistical: a Renault Sinpar truck was hired to assist Jules 2. And that's where the problems began... During the prologue, Jules 2 gave his crew a very good ride (despite being a bit heavy due to the thickness of the Kevlar), and his support vehicle as well, finishing 2nd in the truck category... Crossing France and the first Algerian leg confirmed his initial impressions, and Thierry decided to attack the second leg, In-Salah-Tamanrasset, with 650 km of trails on the program. The performance is there, with top speeds of over 200 km/h, but this desert F1 car ends up breaking several suspension components, forced to wait for its assistance truck... which passes without stopping, its driver having forgotten his primary mission and now playing to win in his class. And even though at the finish of the stage, Thierry Sabine himself, beside himself, sends the truck back to repair Jules 2, the damage is done, the sublime black prototype is overdue, out of the race... As in 1981, Thierry decides to cut short to reach the finish in Dakar and honor his contract with Dior. Just like in 1981, the media did their part, and the party lasted until the early hours of the morning...
A long time later, Thierry ended up selling his prototype (without the engine), which would then have several lives before a Belgian enthusiast offered it a restoration worthy of its interest, re-engined it with a compliant V8, and entered it... in the 2025 Moroccan Desert Challenge! He's now ready to hit the track again and join other legends at the start of the Dakar Classic...
