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If you thought the Land Rover Defender, already the brand’s most capable off-roader, had reached its limit, the company is set to build a limited run of tough, wide-stance Defender Dakar versions.

Shown at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Car Week, this model marks Land Rover’s class win in the 2026 Dakar Rally with the Defender D7X-R. The Dakar is not merely a cosmetic paint-and-trim exercise either. Since the Stock-class race truck was already very close to a road-going Defender Octa, complete with its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 and eight-speed transmission, turning that formula back into a road-legal, Raptor-like machine was relatively straightforward.

This is not to suggest it will be affordable, because it clearly will not be. Land Rover has not announced pricing for the Dakar, but for context, a Defender Octa Black Edition already starts at around $170,000. So expect it to sit comfortably above that. The company says reservations for the Dakar will open in “early 2027.”

So what do buyers receive for that still-undisclosed but undoubtedly substantial sum? They get a twin-turbo V-8 producing 626 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. That is notably more power than the race truck, which had to run with an air restrictor to cut output. Even so, it matches the output of the current Octa.

The Dakar rides on 35-inch all-terrain tyres fitted to new forged 20-inch wheels. Land Rover has also reworked the suspension with coil springs and motorsport Bilstein dampers. The Dakar will feature new Dunes and Gravel drive modes, along with something the company rather enticingly calls Flight Mode. That final setting was developed for the race truck to help make landings smoother.

On the outside, it stands out with roof-mounted light pods, a carbon-fibre bonnet, and raised air intakes. Massive wheel arch extensions with exposed rivets add to the muscular look. The usual rear-mounted spare wheel has been relocated inside the vehicle, into the cargo area, where it is accompanied by an air compressor. There is also improved underbody protection. Buyers will get signature mud flaps as well.

Inside, the Dakar uses a 2+2 seating layout, with specially designed race-style bucket seats up front. Four-point harnesses will be available as an option. The Dakar will be offered in several colours, including the Dakar Sand and Yanbu Turquoise combination seen on the race truck and also shown here on this design preview model.