Land Rover Unveils 626-HP 2027 Defender Dakar at $170,000 as Reservations Near in Early 2027
Updated
Updated · Motor1 · Aug 17
Land Rover Unveils 626-HP 2027 Defender Dakar at $170,000 as Reservations Near in Early 2027
3 articles · Updated · Motor1 · Aug 17
Summary
The 2027 Defender Dakar debuted at Monterey Car Week as a limited-run, street-legal SUV derived from the Defender D7X-R that won its class at the 2026 Dakar Rally.
A 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 626 horsepower and 553 lb-ft, while Land Rover positions the model above the Defender Octa as its new performance flagship.
Rally hardware includes coil springs, Bilstein dampers, 35-inch all-terrain tires, Dunes and Gravel modes, and a Flight Mode tuned to manage big jumps.
Inside, a 2+2 cabin with bucket seats and optional four-point harnesses keeps it road usable, while the rear spare and onboard air compressor emphasize off-road intent.
Land Rover is taking registrations of interest now, with full specs, production numbers and final pricing due at the 2027 Dakar Rally before reservations open in early 2027.