Peugeot has been struggling in its motorsports endeavors as of late, with the French automaker failing to make waves in 2015 in any competition, though not for a lack of trying. Rather than spread itself too thin, Peugeot is focusing on a handful of high-profile events, and next on the list is the 2016 Dakar Rally. Having already revealed the new 2008 DKR rally car and an all-star driver lineup, the last piece of the puzzle was the racing livery.
Well now we have it, and surprise surprise, and the cat-shaped 2008 DKR gets dressed in the red, blue, and yellow of energy drink maker Red Bull. A silver roof has been designed to reflect the cruel desert sun, and the aggressive ardor of the French Dakar challenger could help Peugeot rebound into motorsports.
commented: “If the car goes as well as it looks, then we are certainly set for a strong year next year! In its definitive livery, the new Peugeot 2008 DKR16 looks like it’s going really fast even when it’s standing still,” said Peugeot Sport director Bruno Famin. “We know that our cars will definitely have a strong visual presence on the Dakar: now it’s down to us as a team to make the most of that.”
The 2008 DKR wears a new lightweight carbon fiber body with a 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine churning out nearly 600 lb-ft under the hood. Paired with a formidable driving team of Sébastien Loeb, Stéphane Peterhansel, Cyril Despres and Carlos Sainz, Peugeot is well-placed to take the checkered flag at the 38th running of the Dakar Rally. There’s almost 6,000 miles of the harshest terrain on the planet standing between them and racing victory though, to say nothing of the other teams also competing for first place.