2026 is going to be a busy year for the Land Rover Defender OCTA because the British carmaker has just confirmed its entry into the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), beginning with the Dakar Rally in January. Talk about tough initiations.

The Land Rover Defender Octa, equipped with a 4.4-liter V8 biturbo engine and mild hybrid assistance, will be launched to compete in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship, including Dakar, starting in 2026.

The twin-turbocharged off-roader is headed for Dakar and the FIA World Rally Raid Championship starting in 2026.

JLR is working on a rally raid vehicle based on the Defender Octa, and it's set to enter the 2026 World Rally Raid Championship.

What’s this? The Land Rover Defender Octa’s mission statement is simple: to be the world’s fastest off-roader. But how do you define that? A Nürburgring lap time is only going to tell part of the story,

The Defender is the best-selling member of the JLR family, and the one that has been steadily gaining in popularity for the past five years—a rare occurrence in the auto industry, where models normally lose ground as they age.

With 626 hp, the Octa is the most powerful Defender ever, but it is also the most capable. To understand the auto industry, always follow the money. When the current Land Rover Defender launched for 2020 it was targeting those in search of rugged,

A couple of months after Land Rover confirmed that the Defender would compete in the 2026 Dakar Rally, the automaker has revealed the racing model will be based on the flagship Defender Octa. It will compete in the Dakar’s ‘Stock’ racing category as part of a slew of heavily-revised regulations.

This remains largely familiar from the core Defender, and that’s a very good thing. This is still a fantastic SUV interior; chunky and industrial in its design but rendered luxurious by the hushed refinement, strong fit and finish and high-quality materials.

Defender Octa is now the official entry in worlds two most toughest rally sports and Land Rover has huge expectation to deliver at the event with its high performance 4X4 SUV.