In one of the least surprising bits of motorsport news to be announced in 2025, Land Rover has confirmed that its W2RC rally car for 2026 will be based on the new Defender OCTA. Sure, a diesel would probably have got the rally raid job done very effectively, but nothing’s going to capture hearts and motorsport minds like a twin-turbo V8. Especially when it’s powering a car as brutishly handsome - and as capable - as the OCTA.
While the car will enter into the new-for-2026 ‘Stock’ category, it’s not simply a case of fitting a cage and tyres to a 635hp production car and hoping for the best. The competition Defenders are now undergoing a year of development and testing to best prepare them for competition; the BMW-sourced V8, eight-speed auto and fundamental architecture - the much-lauded D7x platform - must remain, though expect some serious hardware changes elsewhere to cope with the rigour of rally raid competition. The introduction of the Stock class in W2RC has come about as a response ‘to the growing popularity of high-performance 4x4s and SUVs’, so expect to hear more about additional entrants in due course. Where once the stages of world rally were the place to show off the latest homologation car, maybe now it’ll be the finest dune-bashing off-roaders duking it out for sales supremacy.
Certainly it’d be brave to bet against the OCTA, given its very specific remit to deliver the ultimate off-road Defender and Land Rover’s collaboration with the ASO and FIA (along with other makes) in creating the new regs. Today’s press release says that the OCTA’s bespoke geo and kinematic design ‘made it the obvious choice to underpin Defender’s Dakar programme.’
James Barclay, MD of JLR Motorsport, added to that: “We now have the right platform to authentically demonstrate Defender’s capability in the biggest challenge in off-road motorsport. Ahead of us is a year of detailed preparation, testing and learning to be ready for Dakar 2026. The team are already well underway and we are very much looking forward to competing in both Dakar and W2RC – the world’s toughest off-road events.”
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