Monterey Car Week wrapped up yesterday, and as always, most of the attention at The Quail went to seven-figure restmods and supercars But tucked in among the hypercars sat something that piqued our interest. Back in January, Land Rover entered the Dakar Rally for the first time and won the new Stock class outright.
And now the brand is taking the most logical next step. Meet the Defender Dakar, a road-legal version of the truck that did it.
Beginner’s Luck, Except It Wasn’t
Three Defender D7X-Rs entered the 2026 Dakar, which we might add, is widely considered the most brutal off-road race on Earth. They finished first, second, and fourth in class, swept the podium on 10 of 13 stages, and covered a combined 24,000 km with the whole team intact.
The Street Car Out-Guns the Race Car
Race regulations choked the D7X-R’s BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 down to roughly 394 horsepower. Fortunately, those are problems the road car doesn’t have to worry about. Now the same engine is tuned to an impressive 626 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.
Coil Springs and a Literal Flight Mode
Naturally, the hardware backs it up, too. The Dakar keeps the D7X-R’s body architecture, transmission, and driveline, then adds a wider track, more ride height, coil suspension with motorsport-proven Bilstein dampers, and 35-inch all-terrains on forged 20-inch wheels.
There are new Dunes and Gravel drive modes, but it’s the Flight Mode that got us excited. This was specifically developed for the truck to smooth out landings when you happen to go airborne, which is basically Land Rover building a factory setting for jumping the thing.
Dressed Like It Just Finished a Stage
The signature Dakar Sand body with Yanbu Turquoise roof is pulled straight from the winning livery. It’s joined by roof-mounted light pods, a carbon fiber hood, raised carbon intakes, and riveted arch extensions. Inside, you get a 2+2 layout with bespoke race seats, optional four-point harnesses, and rear stowage sized for helmets.
Spec Sheet
Model: Land Rover Defender Dakar
Model Year: 2027
Engine: 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (BMW-sourced)
Power: 626 HP and 553 lb-ft of torque
Suspension: Coil springs with Bilstein Advanced Dampers
Wheels/Tires: Forged 20-inch wheels, 35-inch all-terrain tires
Drive Modes: Dunes, Gravel, and Flight Mode
Seating: 2+2 with front race seats
Production: Limited run (numbers TBA)
Pricing & Availability
Land Rover is currently collecting registrations of interest, with reservations opening in early 2027. Pricing and production numbers won’t be revealed until the 2027 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, but with the OCTA already hovering around $170,000, don’t expect this one to be a bargain.
Recap
2027 Land Rover Defender Dakar
Land Rover took its Dakar-winning D7X-R race truck, uncorked the V8 to 626 horsepower, and made the whole thing street legal, Flight Mode included.
