(From the Range Rover Press Media Center) — Defender Rally have unveiled the all‑new Defender Dakar D7X‑R, the team’s official entry for the 2026 World Rally‑Raid Championship (W2RC), ahead of its competitive debut at the Dakar Rally in January — the world’s most extreme rally‑raid.
A talented team of drivers and co‑drivers will take on the epic adventure in the Defender Dakar D7X‑R, where three crews will endure more than 80‑hours of competitive driving over two‑weeks and around 5,000km (3107 miles) of timed stages.
Each Defender Dakar D7X‑R originates from the assembly line at Defender’s state‑of‑the‑art production manufacturing facility in Nitra, Slovakia, adhering to regulations which mandate that the body shell of the competition car must not be modified from its production origins.
Defender Dakar D7X‑R will compete in a raw, elemental and powerful livery inspired by the tones and textures of the desert. The all‑new ‘Geopalette’ design takes its cues from the arid landscapes that characterize the Dakar. It combines sand, stone and earth tones with a hint of Aqua, drawn from the rare desert waters that bring contrast and clarity.
Introducing Defender Dakar D7X‑R
While the Stock category regulations restrict changes to key elements of Defender OCTA, the competition model features a range of modifications by Defender Rally designed for the extreme challenge provided by the Dakar and subsequent W2RC rounds.
The Defender Dakar D7X‑R shares the same body shell as the Defender 110 but has a bespoke 550‑liter fuel tank built into the rear of the vehicle, ready for the lengthy off‑road stages — the longest exceeded 800km (500 miles) at last year’s event— while a competition‑specification roll cage protects the crew.
To cope with the demands of the desert, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R features a 35‑inch tire package along with 60mm (2.36”) track width increase and raised ride height to improve ground clearance.
Defender Dakar D7X‑R features the same eight‑speed automatic gearbox as the production OCTA, but has a lower final drive ratio to suit the conditions typically experienced in rally‑raid events and maximize torque at low speed. A bespoke rally‑specification brake system has also been fitted to Defender Dakar D7X‑R, with vented discs, six‑piston front and four‑piston rear calipers.
