Peugeot 2008

Peugeot is preparing to attack the Dakar rally with the newly enhanced 2008 DKR16, now bigger and more powerful than the front-wheel-drive diesel machine it replaces.

It would be all too easy to write off Peugeot Sport these days. The French automaker's competition division, once run by FIA president Jean Todt (before he was head of Ferrari), hasn't competed in Formula One in 14 years, in the Noah Joseph

Peugeot is no stranger to dirt-oriented motorsports, but with the 2008 DKR, the French automaker is striking out in a different direction than the rally stages of Europe. Instead, it has placed aim squarely on the notorious Dakar Rally, arguably one of the most grueling, demanding and dangerous (and longest) races on the planet.

The Mini All4 Racing team has dominated the Dakar Rally in recent years, with wins in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In this year's event, its drivers stood atop all three steps on the podium, and it had seven cars in the top ten. However, Mini's superiority is getting a big challenge in 2015 because

Racing fans may have been disappointed when Peugeot shut down its Le Mans racing program, but don't think that the Lion marque has hung up its driving gloves for good. It's just refocusing itself. Instead of committing itself and its resources to a major circuit-bound racing series, Peugeot has been tackling one-off, off-road events. It took the record at Noah Joseph

Peugeot's naming convention might not be all that exciting, but it does come up with some tantalizing vehicle designs. What we see here is the 2012 Peugeot 2008 Concept, which is going into production next year. The new subcompact crossover will slot below the Peugeot 3008 CUV.

The Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept (UCC) unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show earlier this year has morphed into the 2008 Concept that will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in a couple of weeks. Essentially a way for young urbanites to get the things they love about t