Defender Dakar D7X-R Revealed Ahead Of January 2026 Dakar Rally Debut

Off-road-ready Defender Dakar D7X-R revealed In all-new Competition livery ahead of January 2026 Dakar Rally debut.

Defender Dakar D7X-R will compete in the new ‘Stock’ category for production-based cars at the 2026 Dakar Rally.

Defender OCTA-based rally cars features 550‑litre fuel tank for the lengthy off‑road stages and a roll cage protects the crew.

Defender Rally have unveiled the all‑new Defender Dakar D7X‑R, ahead of its competitive debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally, which begins on 03 January in Saudi Arabia, as part of a full 2026 World Rally‑Raid Championship (W2RC) campaign.

Unveil in all‑new competition livery inspired by the tones and textures of the desert, the Defender Dakar D7X-R rally car will compete in the new ‘Stock’ category for production-based cars at the 2026 Dakar Rally.

The Defender Dakar D7X‑R rally cars are based on the production Defender OCTA available on the market. It uses the same powerful 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 powertrain as well as the tough core Defender architecture.

Unlike the base Defender OCTA, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R features a range of modifications designed for the extreme challenge, including a bespoke 550‑litre fuel tank for the lengthy off‑road stages while a roll cage protects the crew.

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In addition, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R features a 35‑inch tyre package to cope with the demands of the desert along with 60mm track width increase and raised ride height to improve ground clearance.

“Defender is driving into the unknown – to overcome the dunes, handle the heat and race flat‑out against the clock. We know Dakar represents one of the toughest challenges in motorsport – but that’s exactly why we are entering,” said Ian James, the Team Principal of Defender Rally.

A team of drivers and co‑drivers comprising of Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal and Sara Price with Sean Berriman will take on the epic adventure in the Defender Dakar D7X‑R.

According to Defender, the three crews will endure more than 80‑hours of competitive driving over two‑weeks and around 5,000 km (approximately 3,107 miles) of timed stages.

“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,” said Mark Cameron,
Managing Director of Defender .

“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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