30-07-2025
Defender D7X-R: Land Rover's continuous innovations ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally
The Defender D7X-R made its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, showcasing the competition version that will tackle the 2026 Dakar Rally.
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.
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).
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."
