More good news from Peugeot! Following its recent notable motorsport successes at
Pikes Peak
Nurburgring 24-hours
, it has announced a return to the Dakar rally.
Not racing a 405; this is it for now
Peugeot will campaign the 2008 DKR in next year's event, 25 years after its last factory effort (and win) with the 405 T16 Grand Raid. It and the 205 T16 Grand Raid that preceded the 405 took four consecutive Dakar victories between 1987 and 1990 so Peugeot has some great history. It isn't shy in proclaiming lofty ambitions this time around either: "Our aim is to win the Dakar in 2015", Peugeot's CEO Maxime Picat has said.
Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres are the drivers. Sainz won back in 2010 and of course brings his extensive rallying experience to the team but it will be the first four-wheeled Dakar for Despres. He has won it five times on a bike though, so he's not exactly inexperienced.
Red Bull and Total will again be part of the Peugeot Sport team, surely spurred on by the Pikes Peak success. And why a 2008, rather than something based on the 208 rally cars? Picat: "The 2008 conveys a strong image on every continent. It is proving a big hit in Europe, ahead of its launches in China and Latin America in 2015" More details to be revealed at the Beijing show on April 20.