August 18^th, 2004 (12:00am) - What Colin wants, Colin gets… After competing in the Dakar Rally earlier this year, Colin McRae’s request to have the Nissan Pickup-Dakar 2004 simulated has been fulfilled: the 4x4, which won him two stages of the endurance race, will be included as a special vehicle in Colin McRae Rally 2005, available in late September for the Xbox.

“Piloting the Nissan in the Dakar Rally was an incredible experience, and I was keen to see it have a part in Colin McRae Rally 2005,” says McRae “It’s an excellent vehicle to take out on the new game’s different road surfaces and makes for one of the most entertaining elements of my preparation for next year’s event.”

Inexperienced drivers need not apply. The Nissan Pickup-Dakar 2004 will only be available to players skilled enough to beat McRae himself in the game’s career mode, where gamers will hurtle through more than 20 different classes of rally events including Challenges, Cups, SuperCups, Shields and Championships, earning the right to compete against the very best.

The Nissan Pickup-Dakar 2004 is just one of over 30 featured cars in Colin McRae Rally 2005, including the Toyota Celica GT-FOUR, Lancia Stratos, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Alfetta GTV Turbodelta, Peugeot 206, Ford Fiesta Rallye Concept, Subaru Impreza 44S WRX, MG 6R4 and from Mitsubishi the Lancer Evolution VIII and Montero Evolution. There are also some unusual rally drives to experience, including the 1967 Morris Mini Cooper S.