The Defender Dakar D7X-R is a high-performance rally vehicle that marks Land Rover’s official return to factory-backed racing at the 2026 Dakar Rally.
Here is everything you need to know about the real-world car and its digital counterpart.
🚗 The Real-World D7X-R
The D7X-R is the toughest Defender ever built, specifically engineered to compete in the "Stock" category of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
Performance: It is based on the Defender OCTA and features a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 engine.
3 "Flight Mode": One of its coolest features is a bespoke electronics calibration that detects when the vehicle is airborne during a jump and adjusts torque delivery to ensure a smooth, safe landing on the dunes.
4 Design: It sports a unique "Geopalette" livery, designed with sand and earth tones to blend into (and stand out in) the Saudi Arabian desert.
5 Debut: The car is set to make its competitive debut on January 3, 2026, driven by legends like 14-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel.
6
🎮 The Fortnite Collaboration
To celebrate the 2026 Dakar Rally, Epic Games added the Defender to the Fortnite Item Shop as part of a crossover.
Item Shop Details: The Defender D7X-R Bundle typically costs 2,000 V-Bucks.
8 Car Body: It is classified as an SUV/Truck body. Because of Fortnite’s cross-game ownership, if you own it in Fortnite, you can also use it in Rocket League.
9 Customization: The bundle usually includes the base Defender OCTA body and the specific D7X-R Dakar Decal (the Geopalette racing livery).
🛠️ Key Specs (In-Game & Real Life)
| Feature | Detail |
| Class | SUV / Rally Raid |
| Engine | 4.4L Twin-Turbo V8 |
| Special Ability | "Flight Mode" (Real-world tech) |
| In-Game Price | 2,000 V-Bucks |
| Availability | Fortnite Item Shop & Rocket League |
Would you like me to look up the current Item Shop rotation to see if the Defender is available right now?
