JLR is currently working on establishing its Defender nameplate as an independent brand specializing in adventure vehicles. As part of this initiative, the automaker plans to enter a Defender factory team in the challenging Dakar Rally scheduled for 2026.
This Dakar program will be led by JLR’s motorsports director, James Barclay, who is also responsible for Jaguar’s Formula E efforts.
Additional information will be unveiled at the 2025 Dakar Rally, which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia in early January. However, Barclay indicated in a statement released on Monday that work on the Dakar initiative has already commenced.
The latest iteration of the Defender is already recognized as one of the most capable off-road vehicles available today, particularly in the extra-rugged Defender Octa variant released earlier this year. Nevertheless, JLR is expected to develop a custom rally raid vehicle that will share certain design elements and possibly technologies with the production Defender.
Audi, which triumphed in the 2024 Dakar Rally, has participated recently with a specially designed off-roader featuring a unique series plug-in hybrid powertrain. Additionally, Ford is preparing to compete in the 2025 Dakar Rally with its own bespoke off-roader, known as the Raptor T1+. The “T1+” designation refers to the Dakar Rally’s T1 class, which accommodates non-production vehicles that adhere to FIA technical and safety regulations; JLR is expected to enter in this category.
In 2023, JLR stated its intention to transform Defender into a standalone brand, joining the ranks of the new Range Rover and Discovery brands, as well as the existing Jaguar brand. As for the original Land Rover brand, JLR confirmed that it would not completely phase out, but further details have not been provided.
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