Team Peugeot and Red Bull have revealed their latest Dakar defender, the Peugeot 3008 DKR. After its public unveiling at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, it immediately heads to its first test at the Morocco Rally on the 3rd of October.
The Peugeot’s shape displays many unique design cues from Peugeot’s latest SUV, but expressed as an extreme all-terrain version, both brutal and svelte. The 3008 DKR continues the brand’s two-wheel drive philosophy, proven last year with Stéphane Peterhansel’s resounding 12th victory on the Dakar and the first win for a two-wheel drive car in 15 years. That success only encouraged Peugeot’s engineers to fine-tune its drivability, power, and electronic reliability further. As a result, its 3-liter V-6 twin-turbo diesel engine now provides higher torque at lower revs, a necessity for the sand and higher altitudes of Dakar. The air-conditioning system was also upgraded to insulate the drivers against debilitating high heat during the 12-hour long race stages.
We look forward to the 2017 Dakar race to see if the striking Peugeot 3008 DKR can somehow better Peugeot’s form seen earlier this year, where the marque led every proper stage. We’ll bet the 3008 DKR will again be a perfect match for the toughest race on earth.
