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- Defender Rally showcased the latest version of the Defender Dakar D7X-R prototype on the celebrated Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb
- In a public debut, the rally car was also in action in the Off-Road Arena throughout the four-day event
- The car was driven by two of Defender’s signed drivers – the talented Sara Price and legendary Stéphane Peterhansel
- The team is taking shape with confirmation of two new partners: Shackleton and Castrol
- Preparations for entry into the ‘Stock’ category of the 2026 Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship now continue
Gaydon, UK – 15 July 2025: The Defender Dakar D7X-R prototype made its global public debut on the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb last weekend, in the midst of testing activity ahead of entry into the 2026 Dakar Rally and World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC).
The rally car was showcased on the famous Hillclimb across all four days of the festival in addition to appearances in the Off-Road Arena with more extreme landscapes and challenging terrain.
The Festival of Speed activity for Defender gave the public the first glimpse of the type of cars that will compete in the newly updated ‘Stock’ category for production-based vehicles in the 2026 Dakar Rally and W2RC. The Defender Dakar D7X-R is a competition version of the Defender 110. The updates to the Stock category will make it significantly more competitive and the perfect platform to authentically demonstrate the extreme capability and durability of Defender.
Also making their debut at the famous festival was four-time Dakar stage winner Sara Price and the legendary Stéphane Peterhansel, who has won the Dakar Rally a staggering 14 times. Both Sara and Stéphane were recently announced as official drivers for Defender, in addition to Rokas Baciuška.
Speaking on her experience, Sara Price said: “I’ve loved being at Goodwood, there’s so much going on. I drove on the famous hillclimb four times, which was so awesome. And I also drove in the Off-Road Arena which was super fun, because anytime I get in this vehicle is just so exciting for me. The car felt really good – it’s the total package. We were showing off our prototype car at Goodwood, but it’s about to get even more real as our competition Defender will be finished soon and the real testing will begin.”
Stéphane Peterhansel said: “It was an honour to be here at Goodwood. For many years, I have been intrigued by the famous hillclimb, and now I have experienced it for myself. It has been a great event to attend, and I enjoyed catching up with old friends and meeting some fans.
“I’m looking forward to the next few months of preparations ahead of our entry to Dakar in the Stock category. 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. We will try to write the new chapter of history with Defender at Dakar. It’s going to be an adventure and an opportunity to show what a production car can do.”
The activity comes as the Defender Rally team continues to take shape with the signing of its first official partners. Joining the team as Official Fluids Partner is Castrol, who will equip the rally car with the products it needs for optimal performance throughout the five rounds of the W2RC. In addition, Defender Rally has confirmed that British expedition and performance apparel company, Shackleton, will be Official Expedition Apparel Supplier, to will equip the Defender team members with high performance outerwear and technical layers during testing and competition.
The first prototype of the Defender Dakar D7X-R was tested in the sand dunes of Morocco in April, from which the team took a wealth of learning then applied to the next stage of the programme. The second prototype, presented publicly for the first time at Goodwood Festival of Speed, now features a number of upgrades suitable for its performance requirements and closer in spec to the official competition car due to be unveiled later this year. Updates include:
- 17-inch bespoke wheels fitted with 35-inch tyres for increased durability
- Increased track width and ride height to match the eventual race car set up for additional capability
- Significantly upgraded steering rack meeting motorsport specifications for enhanced performance
- The standard exhaust has been removed, resulting in improved airflow
