This is your first look at the Dakar Defender

Land Rover has offered us a first look at the Defender Dakar D7X-R - the car set to take on the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia come 3 January.

The Defender Dakar D7X‑R originates from the same assembly line that sees to production of the regular Defender in Slovakia, as FIA regulations demand that this car will be competing in mandate that the bodyshell of the competition car must not be modified from its production origins.

The Defender Dakar D7X‑R will feature a 'Geopalette' design inspired by the textures of the desert and gets a performance damper system alongside a raised ride height

The car is set to compete in the new 'Stock' category, which also demands that the car's engine cannot be modified, so the Defender Dakar D7X‑R will make use of the same 4.4‑litre twin‑turbo V8 engine that does duty in the Defender OCTA. It will, however, run on advanced sustainable fuel, as defined and in compliance with FIA regulations.

The images reveal that the Defender Dakar D7X‑R will sport a 'Geopalette' design, mimicking the textures of the desert, as well as its sand, stone and earth tones. This is contrasted with hints of Aqua, a nod to the rare desert waters.

The electronics in the D7X‑R are managed by a single motorsport control unit to maximise robustness in the challenging rally conditions

Upgrades to the competition car include the addition of a bespoke 550-litre fuel tank at the rear of the vehicle, the use of 35-inch tyres (alongside a widened track and raised suspension) for improved ground clearance.

Meanwhile, the 4.4-litre V8 also gets an upgraded cooling package to handle the extreme heat of the desert. This includes an increased frontal area for more airflow through the grille, where a single large radiator now rests instead of the trio that is found in production versions of the Defender OCTA.

Finally, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R also gets a bespoke rally‑specification brake system with vented discs, six‑piston front and four‑piston rear callipers.

Land Rover states that the Defender Dakar D7X‑R has already completed over 6,000km of off‑road testing in prototype form.