Additional driver quotes: 

Stéphane Peterhansel, Defender Rally driver, said: “It’s special to be racing in Morocco again, especially after so much success in my motorbiking days. The desert here demands a lot from a driver, a navigator, and a race car, but we have the team and the preparation required, and a super capable car. I’m excited to see what Defender Rally can achieve.” 

Sara Price, Defender Rally driver, said: “I’m so excited to be racing with Sean again and to be back at Rallye Du Maroc, this time competing in Stock. Every rally‑raid race is a new challenge ‑ you must adapt quickly and stay focused, but we’ve put so much work in throughout the season and I’m excited to see what the D7X‑R can tackle in this desert. The aim is to build our pace, put ourselves in a strong position each day and most importantly, bring the car to the finish.” 

About Defender 

Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern‑day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.  

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own. 

Defender can be specified from a range of powertrain options, including Defender 110 as an electric hybrid.  

Defender Hard Top means business, with 90 and 110 body styles for professional capability. 

The tough luxury Defender OCTA is the master of extreme performance – taking performance and capability to another level on and off‑road.  

A beacon of liberty that can trace its roots back to the first Land Rover in 1948, Defender is a brand that supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust.  

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on more than 75 years of expertise in technology and world‑renowned off‑road capability. 

Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It forms part of JLR's portfolio of distinctive British brands.  

Defender Rally 

Defender embraces the impossible, and Defender Rally embodies this to the extreme, demonstrating the ultimate capability, reliability and endurance in the most challenging of environments.   

In 2025 Defender became the official car partner of the Dakar Rally, the partnership set to continue in 2026, 2027 and 2028. From 2026, Defender will also compete in the FIA World Rally‑Raid Championship (W2RC), entering the ‘Stock’ category – this being the first of a three‑year programme.  

Defender’s capability is designed to take on the most challenging of conditions, with Dakar Rally being the ultimate test. The competition car retains the same tough, purpose‑engineered D7x body architecture as the Defender, based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction to create a stiff body structure, in addition to featuring the 4.4‑litre twin turbo V8 engine from Defender OCTA to provide exceptional driveability.   

While Defender did not compete in Dakar until 2026, it played a key role at the 2025 rally as the event’s official vehicle partner. A fleet of 20 Defenders supported the event, which began in Bisha, Saudi Arabia, and ended in Shubaytah, transporting race officials and VIP media. A further six highly specialised Defender recce vehicles will be used by Dakar Rally organisers to plan the routes for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 events. 

Important notice 
JLR is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up‑to‑date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory. All figures are manufacturer’s estimates.