Land Rover Defender Dakar D7X-R is a beast!
New production-based rally car
The Defender Dakar D7X-R is based on the Defender OCTA and developed for the W2RC’s new Stock category, in which rally cars are close to production models. The car shares the rugged D7x aluminum platform, as well as powertrain and transmission with the regular Defender. Under the hood is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, taken from the OCTA. The bodies will be produced in Nitra, Slovakia, and rally-ready in the United Kingdom.
Tough test in the desert
The test in Morocco was the toughest yet in the development program. The team covered thousands of kilometers in terrain similar to the Sahara Desert, with stretches ranging from short loops through dunes to long stages of hundreds of kilometers over rocks, dirt tracks and plains. Top riders such as Stéphane Peterhansel, Sara Price and Rokas Baciuška performed the tests, along with experienced navigators who used digital roadbooks – identical to the method used during Dakar.
New leadership: Ian James
An important milestone was also the appointment of Ian James as Team Principal of Defender Rally. He is additionally Managing Director of JLR Motorsport and brings extensive experience from his time at McLaren Electric Racing. James will lead the Defender team during the 2026 Dakar Rally and subsequent W2RC seasons.
“I feel honored to lead this team in our three-year program,” said James. “With a strong lineup of drivers and navigators and a car that is already showing its qualities, I look forward to the next phase of our preparation toward January 2026.”
Strategic move for Defender
According to Mark Cameron, Managing Director Defender, the participation is a perfect fit for the brand: “Participation in the W2RC is the ultimate way to demonstrate Defender’s capabilities and durability. The new Defender OCTA has already shown how rugged and luxurious it is. That this platform is now the basis for a Dakar car highlights our ambitions. With Ian James at the helm and a dedicated team, everything is on track for our first Dakar participation.”
On the road to Dakar 2026
With the 2026 Dakar Rally in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, in sight, Defender is embarking on an intense preparation process. The brand aims not only to push the limits of its cars, but also to leave a lasting impression in the rally-raid world.
