Peugeot's badass Dakar SUV

Hide the children, Peugeot has created a sand dune-eating Dakar rally monster.

After announcing its return to the Dakar earlier this month, Peugeot this morning took the wraps off its new contender.

The badass buggy is called the 2008 DKR, but it’s really only the name, and a few styling tweaks, that the Dakar challenger shares with Pug’s road-going SUV called a 2008.

Only a handful of details have been released so far, but we know the 2008 DKR runs on 37-inch wheels, has a shed-load of power and is rear-wheel drive, not four-wheel drive.

This allows the Pug to contest Dakar’s buggy category, which is far less restrictive than the four-wheel-drive class in which the reigning Mini Countryman team competes.

It also means Peugeot can reap some other benefits, such as greater suspension travel.

Expect power and drivetrain info to be released soon, but until then we’ll just have to imagine what this beefed-up buggy will do in the South American desert next year.