The Prodrive Hunter is a 600bhp, UK-built off-road hypercar

Oxfordshire-based motorsport firm Prodrive has unveiled the Hunter – which claims to be the ‘world’s first all-terrain hypercar’.

Designed as an alternative to a supercar in countries with poor road surfacing, the Prodrive Hunter has been developed using the brand’s extensive experience in the Dakar rally, one of the most gruelling forms of motorsport.

Based on the Bahrain Raid Xtreme Competition car driven by rally legend Sebastian Loeb, Prodrive says this road-going model ‘thrives in desert sand, dunes and rough mountain tracks’.

However, the Hunter packs 50 per cent more power than the racing model – as it’s not limited by the same regulations – with its 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo engine producing 600bhp and 700Nm of torque. Prodrive expects it to complete the 0-60mph sprint in under four seconds.

It has been softened in places, though, with former Aston Martin and Jaguar designer Ian Callum drafted in to create an interior ‘more in keeping with everyday use than racing’. The Hunter also uses a six-speed paddle shift, rather than the competition model’s manual sequential gearbox. The suspension has also been revised to give a smoother ride, while the power delivery will be more seamless than the rally version.

David Richards, chairman of Prodrive – based in Banbury, Oxfordshire – said: “There are numerous hypercars on the market, however they all need good roads or even race tracks to show their performance.

“We identified that in certain parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, there are vast expanses still to be explored that go way beyond the access provided by asphalt roads. Therefore why not create a vehicle that gives the opportunity to explore these regions with performance way beyond that offered by any off-road vehicle before.”

Prodrive says the first development vehicle is currently in the Middle East with first deliveries expected later this year. It will be priced from £1.25m plus local taxes.