Defender’s Dakar Rally racing debut is here.
The run-up to Defender’s first year racing in the Dakar Rally is over, and the historic and cherished off-roading brand has spent the past year creating its D7X-R race car, which is based on the current performance flagship of the Defender lineup, the OCTA. The legendary Dakar Rally is known as the “Everest” of the rally-raid competition, and the team, consisting of three cars and drivers Stéphane Peterhansel, Rokas Baciuška and Sara Price, began the two-week journey towards hopeful victory on January 3, facing over 3,000 miles of racing.
YETI and watchmaker Bell & Ross have become partners of the racing effort, and to promote its journey in the unique motorsport, the Defender D7X-R has now become a part of the video games Fortnite and Rocket League. Competing in the ‘Stock’ category of the race, the vehicle features the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and many of the same performance-oriented characteristics as the roadgoing Defender OCTA, but it will run on advanced sustainable fuel on a wider track with modified ride height, suspension, and cooling.
As the race begins, the anticipation is building to see if the Defender team will make its debut in the legendary Dakar Rally a victorious one, and with a compelling vehicle and a star-studded team including some incredible and highly experienced drivers even within the Dakar Rally itself, the D7X-R could very well clinch victory in the historic Dakar Rally in its first outing in the legendary race.
Image Source: JLR
