After winning the last Dakar, Peugeot have a lot to defend, and even more to prove, in the upcoming event.

However, they seem to be ready to tackle the challenging terrain with their new weapon of choice, the 3008 DKR, which replaces the 2008 DKR. As development is almost over, and with the racer already tested, it’s now time to take a first look at its fancy frock that sees the colors of partners Red Bull, Sparco, BFGoodrich and Total.

As for the actual car, this is (extremely loosely…) based on the new generation 3008 crossover, which was showcased last month in Paris. Of course it’s a true Dakar racer underneath, with huge ground clearance and massive all/terrain tires. Since its predecessor managed to save a few important kilograms by lacking an all-wheel drive system, the new racer follows the same recipe that sees the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 send its output to two of the wheels.

At the hands of Stephane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz, Sebastien Loeb, and Cyril Despres, Peugeot Sport are looking to add their sixth Dakar trophy next January, by taking the all-new 3008 DKR on its odyssey through Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.

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