Defender Octa will form the basis for the Dakar Rally and FIA World Rally Championship 2026, showcasing its unrivalled capabilities at the world’s most challenging off-road events.
From 2026, Defender will enter two competition vehicles in the full five rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (W2RC) in the ‘Stock’ class for production cars and a trio of vehicles in the championship most important event, the Dakar Rally. Given the growing popularity of high-performance 4x4s and SUVs, new regulations will be implemented to make the ‘Stock’ class significantly more competitive.
Taking on the world’s most challenging rally events is the ultimate test for Defender OCTA, which combines immense performance with Defender’s hallmark capability and durability.
At the heart of Defender OCTA – and reserved for competition vehicles – is its robust D7x (Extreme Competition) chassis. Based on the lightweight aluminium monocoque that forms the basis of every Defender, it is three times stronger than conventional ‘body-on-frame’ designs and offers outstanding torsional rigidity. This inherent strength, combined with Defender OCTA’s bespoke engineering and kinematic design, made it the obvious choice to support Defender’s Dakar programme.
Specially prepared competition vehicles will share Defender OCTA’s chassis, transmission, and driveline design—in accordance with Dakar and W2RC regulations—to demonstrate its unstoppable capability and durability. Power will be provided by Defender OCTA’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.
A comprehensive competition testing and development programme for Defender is already underway. The championship will culminate in test events and a whole team launch later this year ahead of the Dakar Rally and the World Rally Championship in 2026. The team has a year of detailed preparation, testing, and learning ahead of them to compete in the Dakar and the W2RC 2026 – the world’s most challenging off-road events.
