Sara Price, Defender Rally driver, said: “Dakar was an amazing experience and I’m so proud of the results the team achieved and the resilience we showed throughout. Looking ahead to my first time racing in Portugal, we really want to build on that momentum. We know our strengths and we know where we can improve, and we’re determined to push to the finish again. I can’t wait to be back behind the wheel with my teammates!” 
 

Stéphane Peterhansel, Defender Rally driver, said: “It’s amazing to return to Portugal for round two of the W2RC, this time for Defender Rally’s European debut. It is a technical race for sure, but we’re well equipped to tackle the course. At Dakar, we encountered some difficult challenges, but we’re back and ready to showcase the D7X‑R’s incredible capability once again.” 

About Defender 

Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern‑day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future. 

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own. 

As part of our vision of modern luxury by design, Defender 110 is available as an electric hybrid. 

Defender Hard Top means business, with 90 and 110 body styles for professional capability. 

The tough luxury Defender OCTA is the master of extreme performance – taking performance and capability to another level on and off‑road.  

A beacon of liberty that can trace its roots back to the first Land Rover in 1948, Defender is a brand that supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust.  

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on more than 75 years of expertise in technology and world‑leading off‑road capability.  

Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar. 

Defender Rally 

Defender embraces the impossible, and Defender Rally embodies this to the extreme, demonstrating the ultimate capability, reliability and endurance in the most challenging of environments.  

In 2025 Defender became the official car partner of the Dakar Rally, the partnership set to continue in 2026, 2027 and 2028. From 2026, Defender will also compete in the FIA World Rally‑Raid Championship (W2RC), entering the ‘Stock’ category – this being the first of a three‑year programme. 

Defender’s capability is designed to take on the most challenging of conditions, with Dakar Rally being the ultimate test. The competition car retains the same tough, purpose‑engineered D7x body architecture as the Defender, based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction to create a stiff body structure, in addition to featuring the 4.4‑litre twin turbo V8 engine from Defender OCTA to provide exceptional driveability.  

While Defender did not compete in Dakar until 2026, it played a key role at the 2025 rally as the event’s official vehicle partner. A fleet of 20 Defenders supported the event, which began in Bisha, Saudi Arabia, and ended in Shubaytah, transporting race officials and VIP media. A further six highly specialised Defender recce vehicles will be used by Dakar Rally organisers to plan the routes for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 events. 

Important notice 
JLR is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up‑to‑date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory. All figures are manufacturer’s estimates.