The 2008 DKR has a voracious appetite for the challenges that await it

It is behind the wheel of this purpose designed rally machine - the 2008 DKR - that Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres will defend the colours of Team Peugeot Total at the gruelling Dakar Rally next January.

The 2008 DKR shares a distinctive resemblance with its road-going brethren, albeit in a more muscular form and added proportions that have been sharpened to meet the challenges that lay ahead.

The design is the result of a close cooperation between Peugeot's Style Centre and Peugeot Sport's Design Department.

Adapting the road car's styling cues to the rear of the new Dakar challenger turned out to be relatively straightforward, but the front proved more taxing for the design team - due to the off-road capability needed - which required a high approach angle.

This resulted in a rally car with short overhangs - which featured a front-end design that was quite different to that of the production version.

The two-wheel drivetrain also allowed the fitting of the bigger 37-inch wheels and added suspension travel.

Peugeot is keeping mum on details pertaining to the power unit that lies beneath the bodywork, but the French marque believes the 2008 DKR's form is sure to cause a stir even before the new car starts to kick up dust - as it begins to be put through its paces in the colours of Red Bull and Total.