Overview
- Land Rover unveiled the final Defender Dakar D7X-R specification and livery, confirming entry in the 2026 World Rally‑Raid Championship with the Dakar Rally starting January 3 in Saudi Arabia.
- The Stock‑class racer retains the production bodyshell but adds 60 mm wider tracks, increased ride height, 35‑inch tires, Bilstein dampers, upgraded cooling, and race brakes with a lower final‑drive ratio.
- The 4.4‑liter twin‑turbo V8 from the Defender Octa runs on sustainable fuel, with final regulated output to be set by the FIA on January 1, 2026, and a bespoke 550‑liter fuel tank supports long stages.
- A new motorsport control unit introduces 'Flight Mode', which modulates torque during airborne moments to smooth landings and protect the driveline.
- Driver crews are Stéphane Peterhansel with Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška with Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price with Sean Berriman; cars are built in Nitra, Slovakia, after more than 6,000 km of off‑road testing, and coverage conflicts on whether the team principal is Ian or Ivan James.