peugeot 3008 DKR race car reveals its aggressive bodywork

team peugeot total + red bull have revealed the new peugeot ‘3008 DKR’: this is the all-new successor to the famous automobile with which stéphane peterhansel claimed his 12th victory on the dakar back in january, and cyril despres clinched his first win on four wheels on the silk way rally in july. following eight months of intensive work in velizy, france, the new peugeot ‘3008 DKR’ forms the inspiration for the latest evolution, following the company’s return to dakar after 25 years in 2015.

all forms and dimensions consider the technical rules of the dakar race

the new ‘3008 DKR’ also remains loyal to peugeot’s two-wheel drive philosophy, with the first dakar win for a two-wheel drive car in 15 years nine months ago proving that drivers don’t necessarily need four-wheel-drive to conquer the toughest landcapes in the world. sebastien criquet is peugeot’s senior exterior designer, responsible for the aggressive lines of the new ‘3008 DKR’. the dakar car’s dimensions and features are governed by technical rules laid down by the sport’s governing body, but its inspiration is still very clear through a number of unique design cues.

the racer takes on an aggressive stance, sat upon huge BF goodwin tires

‘our new dakar car is the most extreme expression of peugeot’s latest SUV,’ comments criquet. ‘it keeps the distinctive design language of the road car, but transports it into a rally context. and that’s the dream job for any designer: when you create a car, you always have a competition version at the back of your mind.’

team peugeot + team red bull collaborate on the project

the new peugeot ‘3008 DKR’ improves on its illustrious predecessor in four main areas:

reliability, driveability, suspension, and air conditioning are enhanced

reliability–the previous car was durable enough to win the dakar this year and claim nine stages (including seven one-twos). however, in any competition machine there is always room to improve on reliability. engineers have went through every aspect of the car in order to refine the package still further, focussing both on mechanical strength and also complex electronic processes, such as engine management. the dakar is the toughest race in the world, taking in 10,000 kilometers at high speeds and altitudes, which makes it the ultimate test of reliability for any machine.

read bumper is raised to accommodate the wheels

driveability–huge steps were made forward in this area from the 2015 debut to 2016. peugeot sport has now ensured that the car’s 3.0-litre v6 twin-turbodiesel engine is even more driveable for next year’s race, delivering greater torque at lower revs. adding to the challenge for the engineers is the fact that the latest dakar regulations have imposed a smaller restrictor on the engine (38mm as opposed to 39mm last year) with a net loss of around 20 horsepower. however, this power is now accessible from further down the rev range, meaning that the car is easier to drive and potentially even faster.

peugeot 3008 DKR boasts a 3.0-litre v6 twin-turbodiesel engine

suspension–this is one of the key elements to success on the dakar. it governs just how quickly the car can cover the ever-changing untrammelled terrain that is the hallmark of the course, ranging from salt flats, to WRC-style gravel roads, to sand dunes. the suspension was already one of the most impressive aspects of the ‘2008 DKR’ for the drivers, but for the new ‘3008’ further work has been done on the geometry and dampers. the test programme up to now, which has included the 15-day long silk way rally–featuring quite similar terrain to the dakar–was instrumental in furthering these important improvements.

3008 DKR also remains loyal to the french-automakers two-wheel drive philosophy

air conditioning–it’s something often taken for granted on road cars, but the air conditioning that was introduced on the ‘2008 DKR’ in asia this summer has been made even more effective. with crews spending up to 12 hours a day inside the cars, subject to cockpit temperatures in excess of 60 degrees centigrade, the effect of air conditioning on human performance cannot be underestimated. even though the drivers are super-fit athletes, the improved air conditioning should help them to perform at a higher level and get more out of the car.

eyes shift to the peugeot 3008 DKR for the next dakar race

peugeot sport are now aiming for the sixth dakar win in its illustrious history, with last year’s triumph coming on top of four wins on the dakar in africa between 1987 and 1990. the peugeot crews have 18 dakar wins between them and the latest in cutting-edge technology with the ‘3008 DKR but the task ahead is still far from easy with an all-new route this year through argentina, bolivia and paraguay, as well as strong opposition. the potent combination of peugeot, red bull, sparco, BF goodrich and the most successful dakar driver line-up in the world: stéphane peterhansel, carlos sainz, sébastien loeb and cyril despres, is well and truly back.