If you were into building Lego Land Rovers as a kid, fantasizing about driving them one day, well, you people who are now adults, your dream just came true. The folks at Land Rover give you the Defender Dakar, a street-legal version of the Defender Dakar competition vehicle, D7X-R.
Dakar-Maxxing
This limited-edition Defender 110 looks every bit the part. It comes in other color options, but why wouldn’t you snag one in Dakar Sand with a Yanbu Turquoise roof? It’s the same livery that for two weeks pummeled 5,000 km of Saudi Arabian desert in January. Three such Defender D7X-Rs finished first, second, and fourth at the start of 2026 in the new Stock class in arguably the toughest off-road rally raid on earth.
Your Defender Dakar rides on the same Octa platform and gets the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that cranks out a monstrous 626 horsepower and an impressive 553 lb-ft of torque. That second number might be the most impressive in those unforgiving elements — that extra grunt propelling you over Mount Olympus-sized sand dunes.
In-Flight Menu
The Defender Dakar gets 35-inch tires wrapped around 20-inch wheels. A coil suspension with robust Bilstein Advanced Dampers, as well as a Flight Mode, developed for the D7X-R, should provide a soft landing when you launch off whoops on any Baja trail. Boy, howdy, we are exceedingly interested in whatever Flight Mode has to offer. But that’s not all. This Defender gets two additional new modes including Dunes, which we cannot wait to try out, as well as a Gravel drive mode. All three should more than hint at the proper playgrounds on which to drive this fun mobile.
Style and Substance
Exterior styling details include roof-mounted lights, a fixed metal roof, and carbon fiber air intakes and hood. The bulging wheel arches with exposed rivets convey how formidable you are even if merely going around the grocery for milk. And when the parking lot gets dicey, you’ve got extra underbody protection.
Inside the Defender Dakar you’ll find a special 2+2 seating configuration, complete front-row racing seats. Four-point harnesses do come as an option. Yes, we told you this thing meant business. You also get rear storage for helmets. It’s all but begging you to hammer it on dirt. In the cargo area, you’ll have a designated space to mount a spare tire and an air compressor.
The 2027 Defender Dakar will be offered as a limited edition. Pricing is not yet available, but Land Rover folks are standing by to take your name if you’re interested. Tune into the 2027 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in January 2027 for even more details. Your hero Lego car has pulled up — go get it!
