Defender Tests Dakar Rally Car In Sahara Desert

Defender tests its upcoming rally challenger in a legendary rally arena.

For the past few years, the rally has been held in Saudi Arabia, but the Dakar Rally earned its name from its original route, challenging teams, cars, and drivers with the task of traveling from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, with the most well-known part of the original challenge being crossing the Sahara Desert of North Africa. Starting in 2026, Defender is set to compete in the Dakar Rally, bringing one of the most iconic and celebrated names in off-roading to one of the most challenging rally challenges in the world.

Using the performance-oriented Defender OCTA as the basis for the competing rally car, the new Defender Dakar D7X‑R has completed an important milestone in its testing ahead of its entrance to the hallowed competition in 2026 by emerging from a grueling round of testing in the part of the world where the Dakar Rally earned its reputation: the Sahara Desert.

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A black SUV is airborne as it drives over a sand dune in a desert landscape.

A camouflaged SUV drives up a sand dune in a desert, kicking up sand behind its rear wheels.

A black off-road SUV drives quickly across a sandy desert landscape, kicking up dust behind it under a clear sky.

A black Defender SUV drives quickly across the barren Sahara Desert, kicking up a long trail of dust behind it under a cloudy sky.

A Defender speeds across the dry, rocky Sahara Desert, kicking up a trail of dust behind it under an overcast sky—a scene worthy of the Dakar Rally.

A four-wheel-drive Defender powers up a sand dune, kicking up clouds of sand behind it in the vast Sahara Desert landscape.

A black Defender speeds across the Sahara Desert, kicking up dust and sand under its tires as it races through the rugged terrain like a scene from the Dakar Rally.

A black Defender powers swiftly across the vast Sahara Desert, kicking up a trail of dust reminiscent of the Dakar Rally.

A black Defender off-road vehicle drives along a dirt track in the Sahara Desert, kicking up a trail of dust behind it under a hazy sky.

A black Defender powers through the sandy dunes of the Sahara Desert, kicking up clouds of sand as it moves, with sparse vegetation visible on the left.

A black Dakar Rally Car ascends a sand dune in the vast Sahara Desert, set against a clear sky.

A black Defender speeds along a sandy, dirt road between palm trees, kicking up dust like it’s competing in the Dakar Rally across a Sahara Desert landscape.

A black four-door SUV labeled "Defender" drives off-road on a dusty, rocky terrain in true Defender Tests style, raising clouds of dust as it speeds across the landscape reminiscent of the Dakar Rally.

A camouflage-patterned Defender SUV drives at high speed across the rocky Sahara Desert, kicking up dust behind it under a clear sky—reminiscent of the thrilling Dakar Rally.

A black Defender SUV drives down a sand dune, kicking up dust in the vast Sahara Desert, with rippled patterns on the sand evoking scenes from the Dakar Rally.

A lone Defender traverses rolling sand dunes in the vast Sahara Desert, with distant mountains rising in the background—a scene reminiscent of the Dakar Rally adventure.

A rugged Defender SUV speeds across the barren Sahara Desert, kicking up a large cloud of dust behind it under a hazy sky.

A black Land Rover Defender drives off-road on sandy terrain, kicking up dust as it powers through the Sahara Desert landscape.

A Defender drives across a dry, rocky desert landscape, kicking up a long trail of dust under the clear Sahara Desert sky.

Competing in the ‘Stock’ category of the race, the D7X-R is heavily based on the production Defender OCTA, and the test verified the rally car’s ability to handle similar conditions and stage lengths to the actual rally. At the Dakar rally, three Defender cars will be competing, while the rest of the W2RC will feature two Defender vehicles competing.

Drivers Stéphane Peterhansel, Sara Price and Rokas Baciuška will be taking on the 2026 Dakar Rally behind the wheel of the new Defender Dakar D7X-R, and when they do, a new chapter will be written for the legendary Defender off-roading brand, and its cherished legacy of adventure and go-anywhere capability. After a successful round of testing in the Sahara, Defender’s bold rally ambitions are coming very close to fruition.

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Image Source: JLR