Defender hits the dunes

The Dakar Rally is in full swing, and Land Rover have entered the fray with the new Defender Dakar D7X-R, now tackling motorsport’s most brutal event as part of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship campaign. Making its competitive debut on the world’s toughest rally-raid, the D7X-R marks a serious statement of intent for the Defender brand.

Built for the FIA’s new ‘Stock’ category, the D7X-R stays closely tied to the production Defender OCTA. It retains the aluminium D7x body architecture and the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, running on sustainable fuel, while gaining the essential upgrades needed to survive Dakar: a wider track, increased ride height, 35-inch tyres, heavy-duty cooling and a bespoke suspension setup.

Visually, the car wears a new ‘Geopalette’ livery inspired by the desert itself, blending sand, stone and earth tones with flashes of aqua drawn from rare desert water sources. It’s understated, purposeful and refreshingly free of visual noise, more industrial design exercise than conventional race wrap.

At the wheel, a formidable driver line-up led by Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel alongside Sara Price and Rokas Baciuška. The Defender Dakar D7X-R is being tested exactly as intended: flat-out, far from civilisation and in conditions where mechanical resilience matters more than anything else.

Photos © Land Rover