Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 27 January 2026
Land Rover has claimed a class victory on debut in Dakar with the Defender Dakar D7X-R winning the production-based category.
Known as the world’s most extreme off-road event, hopes were high for the Land Rover team, and the first, second, and fourth placements backed this up.
Land Rover drivers Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal piloted the Defender Dakar D7X-R to success, which is based on the range-topping Octa variant.
Between the three Defender Dakar D7X-Rs running in the rally, more than 24,000km of mileage was logged in the desert.
The event took place over 14 days, with teams working tirelessly each night to make sure the vehicles were in top shape for competition.
Known as one of the most capable off-road SUVs on the market, it’s somewhat surprising 2026 was the first year of a factory-backed Dakar entry.
As mentioned, the Defender Dakar D7X-Rs share a fair bit of kit with the Octa, which makes use of a BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.
This engine, which can also be found in the M5, pumps out a hefty 467kW, which allows for a 0-100km/h time of four-seconds flat.
And in an SUV that tips the scales north of 2.2-tonnes, performance like that is no small feat.
