Land Rover has pulled the cover off its most hardcore Defender yet, built specifically to take on the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship and the Dakar Rally. The machine is called the Defender Dakar D7X-R, and while it competes in the Stock category, it arrives with enough attitude to make the production Defender Octa look tame. It will be piloted by 14-time Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel.
The Dakar-spec Defender looks even more serious than the early development cars. Rally rules only permit limited changes from the roadgoing Octa, so Land Rover focused on purpose-driven tweaks. The bodywork has been reshaped in places for better cooling, the underbody armour is tougher, and the approach and departure angles have been sharpened for brutal terrain.
You notice the big visual changes immediately. Wider fender extensions, bumper and sill cut-outs, a vented bonnet, a larger front intake, twin snorkels, and roof-mounted LEDs all make it clear this Defender means business. Out back, the tailgate spare wheel has been ditched to save weight. The look is finished with a striking Geopalette livery inspired by deserts and rocky landscapes.
The hardware underneath is where things get serious. It sits on 35-inch tyres and rides on a wider track, while ground clearance rises thanks to revised suspension and performance Bilstein dampers. The brakes have been upgraded with vented discs and six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers for long, punishing stages.
Power comes from the familiar 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8, now running on sustainable fuel. It keeps the eight-speed automatic gearbox from the production model, but uses a shorter final-drive ratio to handle sand, rocks, and huge climbs. A motorsport control unit oversees the electronics and introduces a clever “Flight Mode” that smooths out torque delivery when the car lands after big jumps. There is also a massive 550 litre (145.4 gallon) fuel tank for the marathon stages.
Inside, everything has been stripped for racing. A full roll cage, carbon inserts, six-point seats, and extra displays take over the cabin. The rear bench is gone, replaced with mounts for three spare wheels, tools, compressed air, hydraulic jacks, and a water tank.
Production of the Dakar D7X-R happens in Nitra, Slovakia, alongside the standard Defender Octa. Test cars have already clocked more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles) of off-road punishment ahead of the car’s competitive debut in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
The Defender lineup will be driven by Stéphane Peterhansel with Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška with Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price with Sean Berriman, while Ivan James steps in as Team Principal.
