Land Rover just unveiled a new Defender prototype, and they're taking it racing next year

Land Rover has just unveiled a new Defender prototype with a very specific purpose.

The company has set its sights on entering the new 4×4 in the world-famous Dakar rally.

The all-new Defender has taken on a unique exterior to help it get the job done too.

Plus, Land Rover has enlisted the help of some famous faces to try and take home the crown.

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Land Rover is a British car brand, known and loved all over the globe.

In fact, even world leaders love the car, with the ruler of Dubai purchasing a new Land Rover Defender Octa adorned with his multimillion-dollar ‘1’ number plate.

Lando Norris even snapped one up, with his convertible Land Rover Defender boasting a pizza oven.

Now, there’s a new and seriously exciting offering.

Meet the Defender Dakar D7X‑R – designed and built for a special purpose.

The car is Land Rover’s chance to take the famous Dakar rally by storm.

“The Defender Dakar D7X‑R, the team’s purpose‑built, production‑based, competition challenger, will share the same robust D7x aluminium body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as production Defenders, testament to its exceptional durability and strength,” Land Rover said.

But there will be one noticeable change – the car will be given a mean-looking camo wrap to help it tackle the slopes in style.

The Defender Dakar D7X-R is brought to life by a ‘4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine’ whilst the exterior boasts a camouflage look – plus it has even been tested in the Sahara Desert.

But, there’s an exciting reason as to why the prototype was tested in the terrains of Africa.

“The initial Morocco test is a significant milestone in the journey to the 2026 Dakar Rally, with extreme desert conditions mirroring those the team will tackle at the Dakar in January 2026,” the brand said.

Land Rover has pulled out all the stops when it comes to the competition, calling in the professionals.

“Fourteen‑time Dakar Rally winner Stéphane Peterhansel will join the Defender Rally team for the ultimate epic adventure, alongside emerging talent Rokas Baciuška,” it was revealed.

The new Defender Dakar D7X-R will make its debut at the Dakar Rally, where three Defender Dakar D7X-Rs will compete in the ‘stock’ category for production-based cars.

So, for now, it’s all systems go at the company, where they are planning an ‘exhaustive test program’ before launching the full team ahead of next year’s competition.

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