Key highlights
- Road-legal Land Rover Defender Dakar revealed
- Features the twin-turbo V8 engine making 635 bhp
- Gets a wider track, more ride height, 35-inch tyres
Land Rover Defender Dakar version has been introduced at the Monterey Car Week 2026. This special limited-run version is based on the Land Rover’s Dakar Rally competition model, called D7X-R. The brand is expected to reveal the complete version at the 2027 Dakar, and pre-bookings are expected to start in early 2027.
Land Rover Defender Dakar: Everything to know about it
The new road-legal Defender Dakar will soon hit the tarmac in the global market. The brand has revealed the limited-run model, which features similar design traits to the Dakar Rally race model D7X-R.
The Dakar Defender comes with a wider track as it runs on the massive 35-inch all-terrain tyres wrapped on the 20-inch forged steel rims, and a raised ride height. Moreover, the bodywork features the new bumpers, a fixed metal roof, carbon fibre bonnet and raised air intakes, extended wheel arches, exposed rivets, wide Dakar-spec mud flaps, an underbody shield, blanked-off tailgate, and roof-mounted LED aux lights.
Moreover, the company says that it will be available in various colour combinations inspired by the Dakar Rally model. In fact, the same Dakar Sand and Yanbu Turquoise colour theme as the Dakar model will also be offered. Other upgrades that it features include the special coil suspension with Bilstein Advanced dampers.
Land Rover engineers have also added new Dune and Gravel drive modes. The Dakar Defender also features the Flight Mode, which ensures the vehicle’s stability upon landing from an airborne jump. On the inside, it will offer a purpose-built design with 2+2 race seats, four-point harness safety belts, a boot area designed to keep the helmets, dedicated mounts for a spare tyre and air compressor, Alcantara upholstery, and a vertical screen with race telemetry.
Powering the Dakar Defender will be the 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine that offers 635 bhp and 750 Nm. It will come mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddleshifters.
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