Land Rover Defender Gets Ready For Dakar Rally, Completes Rally-Raid Test

Land Rover is set to make its Dakar Rally debut in January 2026. Before the inaugural race, the brand had signed the fourteen-time Dakar Rally winner Stéphane Peterhansel, who will join the Defender Rally team alongside Rokas Baciuska. Additionally, the team has completed the early test activity with the first prototype of the Defender Dakar D7X-R. The SUV with the legendary name will compete in the 'Stock' category for production-based cars. Furthermore, a two-car entry will compete in the remaining rounds of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.

Diving into the details, the Defender Dakar D7X-R, which will represent the brand in the race, is a purpose-built model based on the production version of the SUV. Following the regulations for the 'Stock' category, it is based on the D7x aluminium body architecture as the production version of the SUV. To top it off, it carries the same transmission and driveline layout. Specifically, the SUV is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which is employed on the Defender Octa.

Also Read: India-UK Free Trade Agreement; Automotive Brands That Stand To Benefit From The FTA

The BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged V8 engine is tuned to put out 626 hp of power and 750 Nm of torque at the peak of its performance in the Defender Octa. These stats make it the most powerful vehicle to carry the Defender name. The power is transferred to the wheels via an eight-speed transmission with a twin-speed transfer box with high and low-range modes.Taking care of things behind the wheel will be Stéphane Peterhansel. He is regarded as the most successful Dakar Rally driver of all time. The 59‑year‑old has competed in the Dakar Rally 35 times on both bike and car and has won the ultimate epic adventure 14 times. Meanwhile, Rokas Baciuska is one of the first drivers in the history of the FIA to win world championship titles in two different categories.