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Peugeot 2008 DKR heading for the Dakar Rally. Not that it looks much like a 2008

The Peugeot 2008 DKR (pictured) is heading for the Dakar Rally After steering clear of the Dakar Rally for a quarter of a century, Peugeot is back in the endurance rally game with the Peugeot 2008 DKR, a rally car that shares its name with Peugeot’s 2008 Crossover – but little else. Instead of the almost cutesy looks of the 2008, the 2008 DKR gets looks that could have come from Mad Max with a sinister-looking black paint job, just two doors, short overhangs for better obstacle negotiation, 37″ off-road tyres and a thumping great wing at the back. Unlike most cars that tackle the Dakar, Peugeot has decided that rear-wheel-drive is the way to go as it allows for bigger wheels and more suspension travel, rather than the four-wheel-drive preferred by the majority of entrants.

2012 Ford Focus: A different kind of test drive for consumers

Ford is rolling out a fairly simple idea in August to get consumers interested in the 2012 Ford Focus--drive it. But instead of the usual dealership experience, where potential buyers are often accompanied by a sales person, Ford is now pitching the new Focus to customers on more neutral turf, which the aim of highlighting the technological and handling prowess of the car. The program is being billed as “Start more than a car.

Diesel and hybrid sales up for 2012

When gasoline prices go up, sales follow—especially sales of diesel and hybrid cars. Diesel sales have risen a whopping 35 percent in the first quarter of 2012, according to data compiled by www.hyrbidcars.com and Baum and Associates. A total of 28,260 oil burners changed hands.