Opening the trunk of this heavily modified Peugeot 605 won’t reveal stacks of gold bullion or a weekend’s worth of designer luggage. Instead, you will find pure, unadulterated emptiness. That’s because the mechanical heart of the IPSO-E.Leclerc 4×4 isn’t where French corporate middle managers intended it to be. It was relocated directly behind the passenger cabin.
While this wildly custom machine shares the understated silhouette of Peugeot’s classic executive sedan, everything beneath its suburban skin is pure, unhinged motorsport engineering. Built on a bespoke late-1990s tubular chassis specifically engineered for rally-raid torture, this prototype was born to devour the Sahara rather than commute through dreary Parisian traffic.
At its core lies a naturally aspirated 3,997 cc PRV V6 engine. Evolving period regulations had rendered turbocharged gasoline prototypes obsolete, making high-displacement natural aspiration the only logical weapon of choice. Power goes to all four wheels through a heavy-duty five-speed SADEV sequential gearbox mated to a transfer case.
To digest whatever violent obstacles desert dunes throw its way, the vehicle relies on an aggressive suspension setup featuring eight Donerre shock absorbers, two per wheel. Massive AP Racing six-piston calipers handle braking duties, while dual oversized fuel tanks ensure long-range survival, considering gas stations are nothing more than a fever dream in the middle of nowhere.
This sort of Peugeot 605 boasts serious motorsport pedigree. It has been across brutal desert terrain by rally-raid legends Pierre Lartigue and Bruno Gilles. Following a thorough restoration in 2021, this legendary prototype proved its enduring stamina by competing in the 2022 Dakar Classic.
It’s the only surviving operational unit left in its original race-ready configuration, meaning it still carries real Saharan sand tucked inside its rubber seals.
Listed at an eye-watering €399,990, this ultimate sleeper asks a very specific question: what do you actually get if you show up with an inflated bank account and a complete lack of sensible ideas? Calling it a Peugeot 605 feels almost insulting. It is a genuine piece of off-road racing history disguised as a bland four-door that usually spent its life sitting in suburban office parks.
