2026 is going to be a busy year for the Land Rover Defender OCTA because the British carmaker has just confirmed its entry into the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), beginning with the Dakar Rally in January. Talk about tough initiations.

Although an electric Defender is definitely in the offing, it will happen by the end of the decade on a different platform from the D7x of the current Defender

Land Rover Defender 110 is positioned between the more compact Defender 90 (which offers urban agility thanks to a smaller wheelbase), and the more spacious Defender 130, designed for those who need more space for people and cargo.

The Defender is the best-selling member of the JLR family, and the one that has been steadily gaining in popularity for the past five years—a rare occurrence in the auto industry, where models normally lose ground as they age.

With 626 hp, the Octa is the most powerful Defender ever, but it is also the most capable. To understand the auto industry, always follow the money. When the current Land Rover Defender launched for 2020 it was targeting those in search of rugged,

This remains largely familiar from the core Defender, and that’s a very good thing. This is still a fantastic SUV interior; chunky and industrial in its design but rendered luxurious by the hushed refinement, strong fit and finish and high-quality materials.

The twin-turbocharged off-roader is headed for Dakar and the FIA World Rally Raid Championship starting in 2026.

Land Rover has acknowledged it’ll be challenging to electrify the current model’s architecture. An electric Defender could only happen with a complete redesign, which isn’t happening soon. An all-electric version of the Range Rover is just around the corner,