The upcoming Land Rover Defender Dakar D7X-R prototype made its dynamic debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, giving fans a first-look (and listen) of the new beast.
The vehicle marks a significant step toward Land Rover’s official entry in the 2026 Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship, where it will compete in the newly revised ‘Stock’ category for production-based vehicles.
Based on the Defender 110, the D7X-R highlights the SUV’s potential in extreme endurance racing, with modifications including increased ride height, wider track, motorsport-spec steering, 17-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch tyres, and improved airflow.
Behind the wheel at Goodwood were newly-signed team drivers Sara Price and rally legend Stephane Peterhansel. Peterhansel said:
“To go back to the roots with a production car, and with Defender which is the best off-road brand, I’m really proud to be part of it. We will try to write the new chapter of history with Defender at Dakar. It’s going to be an adventure and an opportunity to show what a production car can do.”
The event also saw the announcement of two key partnerships for the Defender Rally program. Castrol has signed on as official fluids partner, while British performance outfitter Shackleton will supply technical outerwear for the team.
The prototype shown at Goodwood is the second iteration of the D7X-R. It follows earlier desert testing in Morocco, where the team gathered critical data for further refinement. A full competition-spec version is set to be revealed later this year.
