While the manicured lawns of the Goodwood Festival of Speed were being caressed by the feather-light touch of exotic supercars, a far more brutish beast was tearing up the turf. Forget gentle cruises up the famous Hillclimb; Defender showed up with its Dakar D7X-R prototype, covered in purpose and looking like it had just taken a very aggressive shortcut through a quarry. And frankly, it was brilliant.
This isn’t your standard school-run Defender 110, unless your local school run involves the sand dunes of Morocco and the world’s most punishing rally raid. This is the second-generation prototype for Defender’s full-factory assault on the 2026 Dakar Rally and the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The plan is to compete in the newly beefed-up ‘Stock’ category, which, judging by this machine, is about as “stock” as a space shuttle is a glider. Under the bonnet, it’s expected to feature the mighty 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Defender OCTA, ensuring it has the go to match the show.
This latest prototype, fresh from lessons learned during its first shakedown in Morocco, sports some serious hardware. We’re talking bespoke 17-inch wheels on chunky 35-inch tyres, a wider track and taller ride height, a motorsport-spec steering rack for when things get lairy, and an exhaust system that has clearly been told to leave the party early for the sake of better airflow.
To prove they weren’t mucking about, Defender put a couple of ringers behind the wheel. Piloting the D7X-R at Goodwood were four-time Dakar stage winner Sara Price and a chap who knows a thing or two about winning the event, the legendary Stéphane Peterhansel, who has stood on the top step a staggering 14 times.
Price was buzzing after her runs, calling the prototype “the total package” and noting that the real competition car will be finished soon for the “real testing” to begin. Peterhansel, a man who has likely consumed more sand than most deserts contain, was equally enthusiastic. “To go back to the roots with a production car, and with Defender which is the best off-road brand, I’m really proud to be part of it,” he said. “We will try to write the new chapter of history with Defender at Dakar”.
This is no shoestring operation. The team is already taking shape with official partners on board. Castrol is handling the vital fluids, and British apparel company Shackleton will make sure the team looks the part with high-performance outerwear—because you have to look sharp even when you’re digging yourself out of a sand dune.
After making its global public debut at Goodwood, both on the Hillclimb and in the more rugged Off-Road Arena, the message is clear. Defender is leveraging its heritage and its status as the official vehicle partner for the Dakar Rally to make a serious, factory-backed play for the ultimate off-road crown. The dunes of Saudi Arabia won’t know what hit them come 2026. The British are coming, and this time, they’re definitely not stopping for tea.
