Peugeot has published a full set of details about the 2008 DKR, a purpose-designed race car built to spearhead the automaker’s return to the iconic Dakar Rally after a 25-year hiatus.
Driven by experienced pilots Carlos Sainz and Cyril Depres, the 2008 DKR features a carbon fiber body bolted to tubular steel frame. It features a menacing look with angular headlights similar to the ones found on the regular-production 2008, a thin radiator grille and black alloy wheels mounted on off-road competition tires manufactured by Michelin. A two-tone flat paint job wraps up the murdered-out look, while a coupe-like silhouette adds a sporty touch to the overall appearance.
Power for the 2008 DKR comes from a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel-burning V6 rated at 340 horsepower and an impressive 590 lb-ft. of torque. Mounted behind the passenger compartment, the twin-turbo mill spins the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.
Although critics are skeptical Peugeot can win Dakar with a two-wheel drive car, engineers believe the 2008 DKR has the potential to perform better than four-wheel drive racers entered in the event by competing automakers.
“Given the off-road capability of two-wheel drive transmission and its ability to run on sand, that’s the choice we ultimately went for. It enabled us to fit bigger wheels and also to benefit from more suspension travel,” explained Jean-Christophe Pailler, Peugeot Sport’s Project Leader.
The 2008 DKR is scheduled to make its competition debut in January of 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It will face stiff competition from an eclectic field of rivals including a heavily-modified MINI Countryman that has placed first in every edition of the grueling race since 2012.
Live images by Ronan Glon.
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