Peugeot to return to Dakar Rally

Twenty five years after Peugeot last contested the event, the Peugeot will return to the Dakar rally in 2015 with its new 2008 DKR, writes Trish Whelan.

The team has recruited Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres (pictured) to compete in the world's longest and toughest cross-country rally, driving its new 2008 DKR. Sainz took the 2010 Dakar title while five-time bike winner at Dakar, Despres, has been chosen by the French manufacturer to kick off a new career on four wheels.

This follows Peugeot smashing the record for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado in 2013 in under 8 minutes 14 seconds with Sebastien Loeb at the wheel of the 208 T16 Pikes Peak car.

Now Peugeot Sport, Red Bull and TOTAL have again joined forces for this exciting challenge.

The new Peugeot 2008 DKR, to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show on 20 April, has been developed by the same team that created the 208 T16 Pikes Peak. It will be tested to the absolute limit during its 2-week marathon over 10,000km across Latin American when it takes up its challenge in January 2015.

When last competing, Peugeot won the Dakar rally for four years in a row from 1987 to 1990, first with the 205 T16 Grand Raid, then with the equally iconic 405 T16 Grand Raid.