YOU can now pick up where Colin McRae left with this limited edition Navara Rally Raid built to celebrate Nissan's participation in the 2004 Dakar Rally. You, too, can feel like a rally champion in this special addition to the Navara range which is available in showrooms now for the basic on the road price of £16,290, which includes a heavier duty ladder frame chassis and a revised suspension for even better on-road ride and handling. Already the most powerful and distinctive pickup in its class, the Rally Raid adds Nissan's Motorsport livery just like Colin's Dakar Pickup. One of three bold external colours will certainly make it stand out, not only in the desert but also in the equally gruelling conditions of the daily commute. If that isn't graphic enough it has front fog lamps and extra dark tinted glass together with the option of a full sponsorship decal kit to give that authentic rally look.

Side running boards have been removed to enable the Rally Raid to tackle the most extreme surfaces whilst at the same time a chunky rear step bumper is added. And wider tyres give added grip. Colin had to make do with listening to nothing but the sound of his shouting co-driver but the Rally Raid driver has the luxury of a standard fit, 6CD autochanger with four speakers.

If that isn't entertainment enough, the occupants can run their hands over the thick rimmed, two-tone leather steering wheel or even the new, hard-wearing 'Warp' trip, a fabric that isn't dissimilar to the comfortable squashy bit in a trainer! This trim can also be seen in the 2004 X-Trail. All this in addition to driver and passenger airbags, climate control and ABS as found on all standard Navaras.

As well as being cost-efficient, the Rally Raid does not shy away from hard work. Far from it. It's capable of lugging over a ton of Saharan sand or any other load you may wish to carry.

And towing too - it can haul loads of up to three tonnes of course, with Nissan's 50 year history of developing and building 4x4s, the Rally Raid has awesome off-road ability thanks to its selectable 4WD system, huge ground clearance and low ratio gearbox. But the Rally Raid is not simply a workhorse for the adventurous. It is also a practical family car with seating for five.

The next stage for any prospective Rally Raid drivers is to get a reliable navigator to point them to their nearest Nissan dealer but they'd better be quick - there are only 300 up for grabs.