The 1982 Paris-Dakar Rally was the 4th edition of the Dakar Rally, beginning on January 1, 1982, in Paris and concluding on January 20, 1982, in Dakar, Senegal. The rally covered approximately 10,000 kilometers across France, Algeria, Mali, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), and Senegal. Claude Marreau and Bernard Marreau won the car category in a Renault 20 Turbo, while Hubert Auriol claimed the motorcycle category aboard a BMW.
The 4th edition of the Paris-Dakar Rally began on January 1, 1982, with competitors departing from Paris. A total of 233 vehicles started the grueling journey toward Dakar, Senegal, covering approximately 10,000 kilometers across multiple African nations.
After traversing France and crossing the Mediterranean, competitors arrived in Algeria to begin the Saharan stages. The Algerian desert stages tested vehicles and riders with vast dune crossings and extreme navigation challenges.
French rider Hubert Auriol, riding a BMW motorcycle, established himself as the leading contender in the motorcycle category during the deep Saharan stages, demonstrating remarkable endurance and navigation skills.
Claude and Bernard Marreau, driving a Renault 20 Turbo, gained the lead in the car category as the rally pushed through Mali. Their lightweight, modified Renault proved well-suited to the punishing terrain of West Africa.
Competitors faced one of the most demanding sections of the rally as they crossed the Ténéré desert region, a vast expanse of sand dunes and barren plains that tested the limits of both machines and human endurance.
As the rally entered its final days, competitors traversed Senegal toward the finish line in Dakar. The remaining vehicles had survived thousands of kilometers of desert, savanna, and rocky terrain, with attrition having eliminated a significant portion of the field.
On January 20, 1982, the rally concluded in Dakar, Senegal. Claude and Bernard Marreau won the car category in their Renault 20 Turbo, while Hubert Auriol claimed victory in the motorcycle category on a BMW, marking his first Dakar Rally win.