Peugeot has prepared a monstrous new contender for the 2015 Dakar Rally with the 2008 DKR. Well, it is monstrous in terms of looks. Technical-wise, even Peugeot themselves are skeptical about this car and call it a gamble! It has a not so powerful diesel engine and two-wheel-drive.

Peugeot 2008 DKR is powered by a 3.0 liter V6 bi-turbo diesel mounted behind the passenger cell, developing 340 hp and over 800 nm of torque. That seems like the perfect choice for a grueling endurance rally like the Dakar, but the lack of oomph gives the car a top speed of only 200 km/h, which may prove insufficient.

Another part of the 2008 DKR Peugeot has gambled on is the drivetrain. While most Dakar vehicles benefit from ultra-sophisticated four-wheel-drive systems, the 2008 a two-wheel-drive unit mated to a six-speed manual sequential gearbox. The reason? Lightness.

There are some parts of the Peugeot 2008 DKR which the company has confidence in, like the suspension. It comprises double wishbones, double coil springs on each corner, and a 460mm travel. Combined with 17 x 8.5 inch wheels and Michelin 37/12,5×17 tires, the DKR can practically climb vertical walls, says Peugeot.

“Much like we did at the Le Mans 24 Hours by electing to run a closed-cockpit car, we decided to adopt an innovative concept,” reveals Peugeot Sport Director Bruno Famin. “When it comes to cross-country rallying, the biggest question is whether to run with four-wheel-drive or just two. After a detailed study of the question, we decided to go for two-wheel drive transmission which presents a number of interesting benefits.”