We have said it before and will say it again: you do not need a top-of-the-range expedition vehicle to overland the planet. Earlier this year, we covered the launch of the Driven to Extremes Sahara 2025 Expedition, and, in a bold demonstration of determination and unconventional adventure, two second-hand Ford Focus hatchbacks have completed a challenging reconnaissance of the expedition route through the Sahara Desert. The journey, which followed part of the original Dakar Rally route, is a unique motoring challenge that invites everyday drivers to explore one of the most formidable environments on the planet in modest front-wheel-drive vehicles.
The recent trial run took place in April 2025 and served as the proving ground for what is set to become one of the year’s most engaging overland events. The cars, a pair of well-worn Ford Focus Mk2 hatchbacks purchased for $510 and $255, respectively, were put through their paces across some of the most inhospitable terrain in North Africa. The goal was to test both the route and the concept behind the public expedition scheduled to launch later this year.
The route began in the United Kingdom, with the convoy crossing into mainland Europe by ferry before heading south into Morocco. The team navigated the dramatic switchbacks and snow-capped ridges of the Mid and High Atlas mountains before reaching the edge of the Sahara. Once on the desert floor, the hatchbacks tackled a series of striking and difficult landmarks, including the fossil-strewn crater of Siroko-Mora (nicknamed the “Dinosaur’s Footprint”) and the cinematic stone fortress of Gara Medouar.
Despite being equipped with no advanced technology or off-road prowess of typical desert-ready 4WDs, the humble Fords managed to conquer key desert features. These included the towering dunes of Erg Chebbi and the cracked clay pan of Iriki, both known for challenging even professional rally teams. Mechanical failures were minor and handled in a resourceful fashion. When a rock damaged one gearbox mount, the crew improvised a temporary repair using nothing more than ratchet straps.
This successful test run sets the stage for the public edition of Driven to Extremes Sahara 2025, now open for registration. Unlike competitive rallies, this expedition is not a race. Instead, it focuses on shared experience, teamwork, and personal challenge, and it is open to participants with no prior expedition experience or mechanical training. The only requirement is a Mk1 or Mk2 Ford Focus and a readiness to tackle 11 days of remote travel in the Moroccan Sahara.
The complete package includes guidance from an experienced expedition team, including a lead guide, mechanic, medic, photographer, and a fleet of support vehicles. Participants will receive vehicle decals, desert shirts, communications equipment, satellite tracking, and return ferry transport for both vehicle and crew. The trip includes nine nights of wild camping beneath the desert sky and one hotel stay, with costs starting at £1,000 per person.
Max Adventure, the team behind the event, is no stranger to ambitious motoring challenges. Founded by Mac Mackenney, the organization has led expeditions with actors such as Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill, broken the London to Cape Town driving record, and guided teams across Tibet, Siberia, and the Himalayas. Their projects have spanned from military veteran support missions in postal vans to science expeditions in some of the most extreme climates on Earth.
Driven to Extremes Sahara 2025 offers a unique opportunity to be part of that legacy—an experience that promises to be as much about camaraderie and creativity as it is about driving across one of the most iconic landscapes in the world.
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