A 6x6 Hybrid Truck on Dakar !

     The BM309 is the pioneering 6x6 truck from Astra Veicoli Industriali S.p.A that took part in the 1985 rally Dakar with fascinating innovation.

     Along with the conventional 6x6 layout, the BM309 had the ability to lower a set of tracks, with which it gained the ability to "float" above loose ground (mud - sand) to overcome possible immobilization due to bogging.

    In rally Dakar, Astra participated with two trucks and their crews "Stefano Casiraghi - Caroline Casiraghi - Giancarlo Arcangioli" who dropped out the race and "Giangregorio Carnevale - Maurizio Casella - Mario Bruzzi" who managed to finish in 15th place.

    Unfortunately, we were not able to find any footage of the truck's tracks in action.

    Astra Veicoli Industriali S.p.A., an Italian company founded in 1946, started it's career by converting militairy surplus vehicles into civilian ones.  In the initial decade, Astra focused in the conversion of garbage trucks and cement mixers.  Read more about Astra HERE