Defender makes competitive Dakar debut with production-based D7X-R

EVERY armchair motoring enthusiast knows manufacturers enter rallies and endurance events partly for marketing exposure. But competition also serves a deeper purpose: testing engineering, durability and performance in extreme, real-world conditions that production vehicles are expected to endure.

That reality came into sharp focus when Defender Rally made its competitive debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally on January 3, during the opening round of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). For Land Rover enthusiasts, the moment marked a rare opportunity to see the brand’s latest Defender pushed to its limits on the world’s toughest rally-raid stage.

Defender enters the Dakar arena

Land Rover’s all-new Defender Dakar D7X-R is contesting the Dakar with a world-class driver and co-driver line-up. That includes Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel alongside Mika Metge; Rokas Baciuška partnered by Oriol Vidal; and Sara Price with co-driver Sean Berriman.

The Dakar Rally runs from January 3 to 17, with only one rest day, and features almost 5,000km of timed stages across extreme terrain. Defender Rally is competing in the ‘Stock’ category of the W2RC, a class designed to reflect production-based vehicles and provide a direct showcase of capability.

Built from production roots

The Defender Dakar D7X-R is derived from the award-winning Defender OCTA and remains closely aligned to its production counterpart, as required by ‘Stock’ category regulations. Modifications include a wider track, increased ride height, new suspension components and enhanced cooling systems to cope with the harsh terrain and weather conditions encountered during the rally.

The vehicles are built on the production Defender assembly line at JLR’s facility in Nitra, Slovakia, and use the same D7x body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as the Defender OCTA, described as the most capable Defender yet. Power comes from the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, mechanically unchanged and running on an advanced sustainable fuel.

Partners and preparations

On the eve of the rally, Defender Rally announced new partnerships with YETI and Bell & Ross, joining existing partners Castrol and Bilstein, along with suppliers Shackleton and Alpinestars.

YETI will equip the team with outdoor gear and collaborate on innovations specific to the Dakar Rally, while Bell & Ross will provide precision timepieces as Official Timing Partner. Defender Rally also confirmed that the Defender Dakar D7X-R will feature in Fortnite and Rocket League, extending the team’s Dakar story into digital platforms.

Ian James, Team Principal of Defender Rally, said: “Defender is the perfect competitor for Dakar and the wider World-Rally Raid Championship, and the D7X-R has performed extremely well in testing. Even so, while our target is clearly for all three drivers to be competitive here, just completing Dakar is a huge achievement – so we don’t underestimate the challenge of the adventure that lays ahead.

“But, with Defender Dakar D7X-R and our incredible driver line-up, and supported by Official Partners and suppliers, we are ready!”

Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said: “We are thrilled to have three new partners on board that match and amplify Defender’s core values. YETI and Bell & Ross embody our built to last positioning, with products that are engineered with durability at the core.

“Together we share a mission mindset, advocating for people who outlast and defy the odds, and of course, Epic Games resonates with our brand story-telling approach, creating universes and cultural moments that bring Defender ever more into popular culture.

“With this support, we’re fully set to take on the adventure that is Dakar.”

As the rally unfolds, Defender drivers and enthusiasts alike can follow the Dakar stages closely to track how the Defender Dakar D7X-R performs under the most demanding conditions the sport has to offer.