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Land Rover is going to make its Defender Dakar into a road car you can buy… if you’re quick!
► Road car version of the Defender D7X-R Dakar
► And it looks just like the proper rally car
► Fewer than 500 will be made
Land Rover has announced that it is making a road-going version of its rally-winning Defender Dakar.
Revealed as a clay ‘design preview model’ at The Quail, an event that makes up part of Monterey’s Car Week, Land Rover is looking to make use of its victory in the Stock category at the 2026 Dakar Rally with its Defender D7X-R by producing a model customers can buy.
Using the same BMW-sourced 626bhp 4.4-litre V8 engine as the Defender Octa, it’s even more powerful than the actual rally car because it’s derestricted from race regulations.
Unlike the Octa, the Dakar road car will not ride on air suspension but rather coilover suspension from Bilstein. Additional Dunes and Gravel drive modes will also be selectable, as well as a Flight Mode, originally developed to ensure smooth landings on big jumps. Quite how much use this will prove through Central London, I’m not sure.
The Dakar also rides on new forged 20-inch alloy wheels, shod in 35-inch all-terrain tyres. Other differences compared with an Octa, inspired by the rally car, include roof-mounted light bar and a fixed metal roof – there’s no fancy panoramic sunroofs here.
The air intakes are also raised and more pronounced, while larger wheel arches are needed to accommodate the huge wheels. Like the Dakar rally cars, there’s no spare tyre on the rear, but rather a tailgate blanking plate and big mud flaps. There’s also enhanced underbody and undershield protection compared with a Defender Octa.
Various colours will be available but, for us, it has to be in the same beige and turquoise colour combination as the proper Dakar car as this is no half-baked marketing effort, it looks the real deal.
There aren’t any interior pictures of the production car yet, but Land Rover says it ‘combines rally-inspired details with tough luxury’. Though based on the 110 wheelbase, the Dakar will come in a ‘2+2’ configuration, with the front featuring bespoke racing seats available with four-point harnesses. A bit much for the school run, we suspect.
There’s also a place to store race helmets, while the boot will feature a mounting to house the spare wheel and air compressor.
The final production model is expected to be revealed at the 2027 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in the new year, though Land Rover says registrations of interest ‘are now being collated’, ahead of orders officially opening in 2027. If you want one act fast: Land Rover says it will make ‘fewer than 500 globally’.
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