‘Wraps come off new Peugeot Dakar motor’
Peugeot Sport will replace its successful 2008 DKR Dakar contender with a new 3008 DKR for next year’s event, writes Hal Ridge.
It is based on a new 3008 SUV from parent company Peugeot that will be launched at the Paris Motor Show next month.
Former World champion Carlos Sainz will give the new machine its competitive debut in Morocco in early October, where team-mate Cyril Despres, who claimed victory on the Silk Way Rally in July, will drive a 2008 DKR.
The new car features upgrades in four main areas over its predecessor; reliability, drivability, suspension and air conditioning. Like the 2008 DKR, the new car will remain two-wheel drive. Dakar legend Stephane Peterhansel claimed the first victory in 15 years for a two-wheel-drive car on the event in January this year.
“The 3008 symbolises the next step,” said head of Peugeot Sport, Bruno Famin. “Our goal with this car was to take the weaker points of the existing car and make them stronger, while capitalising on all the existing strengths to improve them still further. There are also some new regulations, which we obviously needed to comply with.”
For 2017, a 38mm turbo restrictor has been introduced to the Dakar regulations, down from 39mm this year. The French firm will field four cars for Peterhansel, Sainz, Despres and Sebastien Loeb in the 2017 South American event.