Land Rover set to compete in Dakar rally with Defender Octa

Land Rover set to compete in Dakar rally with Defender Octa

The competition vehicles will utilise the same 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine as in the standard road car.

Land Rover has announced that it will be competing in the 2026 season of the famous Dakar rally with its new Defender Octa.

The vehicles that the brand intends to use are referred to as ‘competition-spec’ models, albeit ones based on the new performance-focused Defender Octa currently on sale.

The firm will enter two vehicles into the five rounds of the World Rally-Raid championships and a further three-vehicle entry into the Dakar rally from 2026. The cars will be competing under the ‘Stock’ category for production-based vehicles.

Land Rover is using the Defender Octa as a base for its competition vehicles because of its aluminium monocoque construction which is three times stronger than the traditional body-on frame design. Additionally, the vehicles will utilise the Octa’s body architecture, transmission and drivetrain layout alongside the same 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine.

Mark Cameron, managing director for the Defender, said: “Taking on the most demanding rally-raid event in the world represents the ultimate test of our most extreme Defender to date. We know that Dakara will be an immense challenge, but Defender Octa combines huge performance with characteristics of Defender capability and durability – the perfect foundations for what I’m confident will be a highly competitive rally-raid vehicle.”

To make the vehicles as strong as possible, the firm is undergoing a Defender competition test and development programme to make sure that the competition cars have what it takes to conquer the Dakar rally.