Dacia wants to be taken seriously as a credible manufacturer, with the brand slowly expanding throughout European showrooms. But when it comes to making a statement, this is one sure fire way to do it. Meet the monstrous Dacia Duster Pikes Peak rally car.

Renault is hoping the car will crack the Pikes Peak world record hill climb event this year, set for June 26, and by the looks of that rear wing, it’s very serious about hitting some extreme speeds.

Based (loosely) on the Dacia Duster body and the Andros Trophy road race car, the rally special was built under Renault, Dacia’s parent company. It features extremely dramatic bodywork, a full tubular chassis and a comprehensive roll cage.

The entire body has been developed using wind tunnel testing for optimum aerodynamics and downforce, which will help the car cut up the famous mountain pass with maximum grip.

The car uses a Renault Sport Technologies mid-mounted engine. Although specific details haven’t been revealed, the setup is said to be capable of unleashing some 635kW of power. And by the looks of that chassis, it’s hard to argue Renault is planning outputs along those lines.

The car will undergo initial ‘Race to the Clouds’ testing on June 5.