Defender Rally have unveiled the all new Defender Dakar D7X R

Coventry, United Kingdom- Defender vehicle is Land Rover, which is part of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)., has unveiled the all-new Defender Dakar D7X-R, marking the team’s official entry into the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The purpose-built machine will make its competitive debut at the legendary Dakar Rally in January — the toughest rally-raid event in the world.

In Dakar 2026, three Defender Dakar D7X-R crews will take on more than 80 hours of competitive driving across two weeks, tackling around 5,000km of timed stages. The driver line-up features some of the most respected names in rally-raid: Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price with Sean Berriman. The teams will be supported by a seasoned crew of mechanics and engineers under newly appointed Team Principal, Ian James.

Every Defender Dakar D7X-R begins life on the production line at Defender’s state-of-the-art Nitra facility in Slovakia. Under FIA regulations for the new Stock category launching in 2026, competition vehicles must retain their original bodyshell, transmission and driveline layout. The D7X-R therefore shares its fundamental architecture with the Defender OCTA — including its robust D7x body structure and 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which remains mechanically unchanged and runs on FIA-approved sustainable fuel.

The rally car competes in a striking new ‘Geopalette’ livery inspired by desert landscapes, blending sand, stone and earth tones with a hint of aqua to reflect the rare water sources found in arid terrain.

While bound by Stock category limits, the Defender Dakar D7X-R incorporates a series of motorsport-focused upgrades to tackle the extreme demands of Dakar and future W2RC rounds. It retains the Defender 110 bodyshell but gains a bespoke 550-litre rear fuel tank to cover long off-road stages — some more than 800km — and a full competition roll cage for crew protection.

To master desert terrain, the D7X-R rides on 35-inch tyres, with a 60mm wider track and increased ride height for improved ground clearance. Revised front and rear bodywork enhances approach and departure angles while preserving OCTA design DNA. Extended wheel arches, trimmed door panels and new sills accommodate wider stance and reinforced under-floor protection against harsh impacts.

The production OCTA’s suspension kinematics are retained, but performance has been boosted through a new rally damper system co-developed with BILSTEIN, featuring a single front coil-over and parallel twin dampers at the rear. The setup improves control in extreme conditions and supports the weight of a full fuel load. BILSTEIN joins Defender Rally’s partner roster alongside Castrol, Shackleton and Alpinestars.

Cooling systems have been extensively re-engineered to cope with desert heat. A single large radiator replaces the production vehicle’s three-radiator layout, supported by four 12V fans for low-speed airflow. Redesigned bonnet vents improve heat extraction, while a particle filter prevents sand ingress. Additional roof-mounted air intakes and light pods enhance visibility and ventilation.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox remains unchanged but is paired with a lower final drive ratio for stronger low-speed torque typical of rally-raid stages. A bespoke braking system with vented discs and six-piston front, four-piston rear calipers provides race-grade stopping power.

Electronics are consolidated into a single motorsport control unit for maximum durability, with custom calibrations developed in-house. A new ‘Flight Mode’ automatically adjusts torque delivery when the vehicle becomes airborne, protecting the driveline and ensuring smoother landings — a crucial advantage in dune stages.

Inside, the Defender Dakar D7X-R features FIA-regulated navigation equipment, a driver head-up display, a configurable motorsport dashboard and tailored six-buckle FIA seats designed for comfort during long competitive hours. The cabin also carries eight litres of water, three spare wheels mounted inside the roll cage, tools, compressed air, essential spares and integrated hydraulic jacks capable of lifting either side of the vehicle.

Defender Rally has already completed more than 6,000km of off-road testing with the Dakar D7X-R in prototype form. Now fully prepared, the team will face its first official challenge at the 2026 Dakar Rally, starting 3 January in Saudi Arabia — the beginning of an ambitious new chapter in Defender’s motorsport journey.

Mr. Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said, Defender is the original British adventure brand, synonymous with unstoppable capability and epic adventure, something which we are proud to showcase on the competitive world stage. Defender Dakar D7X‑R is the toughest Defender ever built. It carries the same core architecture and silhouette as Defender OCTA but has been developed to take on the ultimate competitive off‑road adventure. Dakar pushes everything to the limit and competing in a rally‑raid of this scale will authentically showcase Defender’s capability and robustness in the most extreme and harshest conditions on the planet.

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