Three Defenders, based on the road-going 626 hp Octa, will compete in next year’s challenging Dakar Rally

A few months after Land Rover announced that the Defender would compete in the 2026 Dakar Rally, the automaker has revealed the racing model will be based on the flagship Defender Octa. The vehicle will participate in the Dakar’s ‘Stock’ racing category, aligning with a series of heavily revised regulations.
Land Rover proudly claims the Defender Octa is “the fastest and most capable Defender ever made,” making it a natural choice as the base for the race car. In addition to competing in Dakar, it will also take part in the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.
Two vehicles will participate in all five rounds of the series, with a third entry joining the lineup for the Dakar Rally.
Taking Advantage of New Regulations
New FIA regulations are addressing the growing demand for high-performance 4x4s and SUVs. Vehicles in the ‘Stock’ category are required to retain many similarities with their road-going counterparts. In contrast, current Rally Raid competitors, such as the Dacia Sandrider and Ford Raptor T1+, are purpose-built prototypes with minimal connection to street-legal models.
The racing version of the Defender Octa will utilize the same D7x architecture found in its road-going counterpart, featuring a lightweight aluminum monocoque.
It will also retain the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine sourced from BMW, which produces 626 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque. This powertrain makes the Octa the most powerful Defender to date. Paired with this V8 is an eight-speed transmission and a twin-speed transfer box, providing high and low-range driving modes.

Land Rover’s Defender Octa to Compete in 2026 Dakar and World Rally-Raid
JLR Seeks to Showcase the Defender’s Off-Road Capabilities
“Defender competing in Dakar will be an incredibly exciting challenge,” said James Barclay, JLR Motorsport managing director. “We had a vision for the future of production-based vehicles in rally-raid, so it has been incredibly positive to collaborate with the ASO, FIA, and other manufacturers to establish the new regulations for the ‘Stock’ category.
“We now have the right platform to authentically demonstrate Defender’s capability in the biggest challenge in off-road motorsport. Ahead lies a year of meticulous preparation, testing, and learning to be ready for Dakar 2026.
The team is already hard at work, and we’re eagerly anticipating competing in both Dakar and the W2RC – the world’s toughest off-road events.”
