Monday 7th July 2014

Peugeot 2008 DKR new details

Twin-turbo V6 diesel announced for mad 2WD Dakar racer

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"The 2008 DKR can practically climb vertical walls! Longer suspension travel -460mm instead of 250mm - enhances its ability over dunes and when soaking up uneven ground. That's a key asset on an event like the Dakar!"

4m long, 2m wide, 2m tall...

So says Jean-Christophe Pallier, Peugeot's Technical Project Manager for its Dakar return. Peugeot remains adamant that 2WD (presumably to the rear) will prove successful in the dunes, with longer suspension travel and small overhangs key to that. Furthermore, 2WD allows bigger wheels and tyres to be used than 4WD and the ability to adjust tyres remotely from the cabin which should save further time. Can the gamble pay off?

Peugeot has now confirmed the DKR's engine also, a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 with 340hp and 590lb ft mounted in the middle. The road car links are becoming very tenuous... Top speed is 200kph (124mph) with acceleration to be confirmed. You suspect it will probably reach that speed fairly swiftly.

The DKR sits on a tubular steel chassis with carbon panels and some outrageous dimensions: it's just 4,099mm long but 2,033mm wide and 1,912mm high! "Fitting all of the vital assemblies into such as small space gave us quite a headache" says Pallier. The fuel tank is 400 litres. Weight is again TBC.

See below for a video of the DKR in action. No climbing vertical walls but it looks more than competent here. Peugeot says all that remains for the 2008 now 'is to let it off the leash', an event we can't wait for.

2008 DKR vid here.

 

 

 

[vrooom]

it looked it going to roll, as seen at nearly end of the video...

[Mercury00]

vrooom said:

it looked it going to roll, as seen at nearly end of the video...

Hmm it did indeed...

[clonmult]

[quote]The road car links are becoming very tenuous
[/quote]

The peugeot badge is probably shared between the DKR and the road car.

[shalmaneser]

Pah, what's the link between the Audi R18 TDI (or whatever) and an A6?

Or a Group B 205 T16 and a 205 GTI for that matter?!

This is sweet.

[zefrog]

let's hope the filming will be better than pikes peak.

[clonmult]

shalmaneser said:

Pah, what's the link between the Audi R18 TDI (or whatever) and an A6?

Or a Group B 205 T16 and a 205 GTI for that matter?!

This is sweet.

I'll say its sweet, but they really should give it a different name. It has absolutely nothing in common with the car on which its name is derived.

With the 205 T16 you could (in theory) buy one. And it did look like a monstrous version of the 205 on which it was loosely based.

[vz-r_dave]

clonmult said:

shalmaneser said:

Pah, what's the link between the Audi R18 TDI (or whatever) and an A6?

Or a Group B 205 T16 and a 205 GTI for that matter?!

This is sweet.

I'll say its sweet, but they really should give it a different name. It has absolutely nothing in common with the car on which its name is derived.

With the 205 T16 you could (in theory) buy one. And it did look like a monstrous version of the 205 on which it was loosely based.

As opposed to the VW Tuoareg?

[Denorth]

when I see something like this I recall immediately one car (also French) - Megatrack.

http://mindovermotor.com/2011/08/16/obscure-auto-m...

[CamMoreRon]

clonmult said:

I'll say its sweet, but they really should give it a different name. It has absolutely nothing in common with the car on which its name is derived.

With the 205 T16 you could (in theory) buy one. And it did look like a monstrous version of the 205 on which it was loosely based.

Why? I really don't get the fuss about this sort of thing. At what point does somebody (manufacturer or private) modifying a car have to scrap its original identity and call it something else?

I get that you can't link an LMP1 to a saloon car, but that's not the same. The Pikes Peak 208 was a 208, and the Group B 205 was a 205.

[rastapasta]

I thought Peugeot had no Money???

[Turbobanana]

clonmult said:

I'll say its sweet, but they really should give it a different name. It has absolutely nothing in common with the car on which its name is derived.

With the 205 T16 you could (in theory) buy one. And it did look like a monstrous version of the 205 on which it was loosely based.

Let them call it what they want: the important thing is they're prepared to build it and enter it in a competition currently dominated by other manufacturers (Mini), much like they did at Le Mans a few years back (Audi).

I also like that they're taking a different approach to Mini and using 2WD. Watching the buggies and Robbie Gordon's 2WD Hummer has been a highlight of Dakar recently.