Defender D7X-R: Land Rover's continuous innovations ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally

The Defender D7X-R Dakar programme is going full steam ahead as they prepare for the 2026 Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Showcased at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, it was the public’s first glimpse of the competition version of the Defender 110 that will be competing in the newly updated ‘Stock’ category for production-based vehicles.

New regulations

The 2026 edition of the W2RC will implement new regulations that are aimed at making the Stock category significantly more competitive overall, as the FIA and Dakar organisers respond to the increasing capacity and popularity of high-performance 4x4s and SUVs.

The new regulations will allow increased performance benefits, allowing Defender to showcase its durability and capability through the harshest terrains.

The Defender Dakar D7X-R shares the same D7X aluminium body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as production Defenders and is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.

Drivers debut

Also making their debut at the famous festival were four-time Dakar stage winner Sara Price and the legendary Stéphane Peterhansel, who has won the Dakar Rally 14 times. Both Price and Peterhansel were recently announced as official drivers for Defender, along with Rokas Baciuška.

“I loved being at Goodwood. I drove on the famous hillclimb four times, which was so awesome. And I also drove in the Off-Road Arena, which was super fun. The car felt really good.

"We were showing off our prototype car at Goodwood, but it’s about to get even more real as our competition Defender will be finished soon and the real testing will begin,” said Price.

Peterhansel concurred, saying, “I’m looking forward to the next few months of preparations ahead of our entry to Dakar. To go back to the roots with a production car, and with Defender, I’m really proud to be part of it.

"We will try to write a new chapter of history with Defender at Dakar. It’s going to be an adventure and an opportunity to show what a production car can do."

Official suppliers

The Defender Rally team also announced their first suppliers, with Castrol joining the team as Official Fluids Partner to equip the rally car with the products it needs for optimal performance throughout the five rounds of the W2RC.

British expedition and performance apparel company, Shackleton, will be the Official Expedition Apparel Supplier to equip the team members with high-performance outerwear and technical layers during testing and competition.

Technical Upgrades 

The prototype of the Defender Dakar D7X-R was tested in the dunes of Morocco in April, from which the team took a wealth of learning and then applied it to the next stage of the programme. 

The second prototype features a number of upgrades suitable for its performance requirements and closer in spec to the official competition car to be unveiled later this year.

The updates include:

• 17-inch bespoke wheels fitted with 35-inch tyres.
• Increased track width and ride height to match the eventual race car set-up for additional capability.
• Significantly upgraded steering rack meeting motorsport specifications for enhanced performance.
• The standard exhaust has been removed for improved airflow.

The 2026 Dakar Rally is scheduled to take place from January 3 to January 17, 2026.