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Defender Dakar D7X‑R: Britain’s Iconic Off-Roader Tackles the Ultimate Desert Challenge

Land Rover’s Defender is no stranger to adventure, but the all-new Defender Dakar D7X‑R takes the storied British icon into uncharted territory: the 2026 Dakar Rally. Built to compete in the FIA’s new Stock category, the D7X‑R is more than just a rugged production SUV—it’s a purpose-built rally machine, designed to endure the desert’s relentless extremes.

Three elite crews will pilot the Defender Dakar D7X‑R over two grueling weeks, covering roughly 5,000 kilometers of timed stages and more than 80 hours of competitive driving. Leading the charge are Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel with co-driver Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška paired with Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price alongside Sean Berriman. Behind the wheel, these drivers will be supported by an experienced cadre of engineers and mechanics, under the leadership of newly appointed Team Principal, Ian James.

A Production SUV Born for the Dakar

Unlike conventional rally cars, the D7X‑R begins its life on a production line in Nitra, Slovakia, adhering strictly to the Stock category rules. The bodyshell remains true to the production Defender 110 OCTA, one of Land Rover’s most capable Defenders ever. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is retained, running on FIA-compliant sustainable fuel, while the eight-speed automatic transmission carries over from the road car, albeit with a lower final drive ratio optimized for rally conditions.

While the Stock category limits modifications, Defender Rally has fitted the D7X‑R with a host of rally-specific upgrades. A 550-liter fuel tank is integrated into the rear, ensuring the vehicle can survive stages exceeding 800 kilometers. The suspension has been tuned with BILSTEIN performance dampers, including a single coil-over front and twin rear dampers, capable of handling the extra weight and brutal off-road conditions. Approach and departure angles have been improved via modified front and rear bodywork, while extended wheel arches, raised ride height, and a wider 60mm track give the SUV a more aggressive stance.

Engineering for Extremes

Desert racing requires more than sheer power. Cooling is a critical concern in the Dakar’s scorching environments, and the D7X‑R features an upgraded system with a large radiator, four 12V fans, bonnet vents, and sand filters to protect the V8 from particulate ingestion. The brakes are bespoke rally units with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears, while the electronics are consolidated into a single motorsport control unit with custom calibrations. A unique “Flight Mode” automatically modulates torque delivery when airborne, smoothing landings and protecting driveline components.

Inside the Rally Cockpit

The cabin is stripped for competition but far from spartan. FIA-regulated six-buckle seats are customized for each driver, with navigation and motorsport dashboards providing essential data at a glance. Storage solutions include space for eight liters of water, three spare wheels, hydraulic jacks, tools, and critical spare parts, all secured within the new roll cage. This is a vehicle built for endurance, comfort, and survivability across some of the planet’s harshest terrain.

Desert-Inspired Design

The D7X‑R wears an all-new “Geopalette” livery, inspired by the sand, stone, and earth tones of the Dakar desert, accented with hints of aqua drawn from rare desert water sources. The result is a vehicle that looks at home both in the dunes and on the pages of Land Rover’s adventure history.

Ready for the Challenge

Following over 6,000 kilometers of off-road testing, the D7X‑R is set for its competitive debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally, starting January 3 in Saudi Arabia. Ian James, Team Principal, is clear on the stakes: “Dakar represents one of the toughest challenges in motorsport—but that’s exactly why we are entering. With world-class partners and some of the best rally-raid drivers on the planet, we’ll give it our all.”

With its blend of production-bred reliability and rally-honed engineering, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R embodies the essence of British adventure. It’s a Defender built not just to survive the world’s harshest conditions, but to conquer them—on the ultimate stage.

Source: Land Rover

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First Drive: The All-New Renault Clio VI — A Superpowered Reinvention of a French Icon

For more than three decades, the Renault Clio has been the brand’s bread-and-butter bestseller—a small hatch with big-car attitude. Since its debut in 1990, nearly 17 million Clios have found homes in 120 countries, making it the most successful French car of all time. Each generation reshaped Renault’s formula, but the mission stayed the same: build a city car with the refinement and tech of something larger.

Now comes Clio VI, and Renault isn’t shy about setting expectations sky-high. The company calls it a “superpowered” generation. After a day behind the wheel, it’s clear: this is the most ambitious Clio yet.

A Legacy That Keeps Evolving

The Clio nameplate has always punched above its weight. The original model gained fame for delivering “tout d’une grande”—all the qualities of a bigger car—in an affordable, compact package.

Every generation sharpened a different strength:

  • Clio I raised the small-car bar with big-car comfort and safety.
  • Clio II became a cocoon, emphasizing refinement and softness.
  • Clio III moved the B-segment needle on material quality and onboard tech.
  • Clio IV introduced the sensual, sculpted Renault design language of the 2010s.
  • Clio V pushed into the digital age with a cabin centered on a large vertical touchscreen and the successful E-Tech hybrid powertrain.

But Clio VI isn’t just another evolution—it’s a reset.

Design: A Baby Car With Serious Presence

Renault has stretched, widened, and toughened the Clio’s stance, giving it proportions normally reserved for the next class up. The styling is expressive and sharp, with a more assertive face and a rear end that looks ready to pounce. The visual message is clear: this isn’t just a B-segment hatch anymore.

Inside, the transformation is even more striking. The dashboard is dominated by twin V-shaped screens as part of the new OpenR Link system with Google built-in—a first for this segment. The interface is fast, intuitive, and familiar to anyone who uses Android services. Material quality takes a legitimate step toward premium territory, and the switchgear feels more substantial than ever.

Tech and Safety: Almost Overqualified

Renault claims the new Clio offers up to 29 advanced driver-assistance systems, blurring the line between mainstream and premium. Lane-centering, adaptive cruise, enhanced parking aids, and improved collision-avoidance systems all make the equipment list. In a segment where many competitors still feel basic, the Clio reads like a fully spec’d compact.

Powertrains: Efficiently Punching Up

The big headline is the new top-tier E-Tech hybrid with 160 horsepower. It’s smoother, punchier, and more economical than the previous 145-hp system. Renault says it can reduce fuel consumption by up to 40% versus a traditional petrol engine—and stay in EV mode for up to 80% of city driving.

On the road, it feels eager, with strong electric assist out of corners and a refined handoff between motors. It’s not a hot hatch, but it delivers confident pace with the kind of efficiency that makes hybrids make sense.

Below it sits a new 115-hp petrol engine, offered with a manual gearbox or a lightning-quick EDC automatic. For budget-focused buyers, a 120-hp petrol-LPG flex-fuel variant is due in 2026, showing Renault’s continued attention to cost-effective energy options in emerging markets.

Driving Impressions: Mature Without Losing Its Spark

Renault’s goal was to give the Clio the manners of a larger car without sacrificing agility. Mission accomplished. The steering is crisp, the chassis feels planted, and road noise is noticeably reduced. Even on rougher pavement, the suspension isolates bumps better than many rivals. It’s still compact and easy to place in the city, but on the highway the Clio feels—dare we say—grown up.

Bruno Vanel, Renault’s VP of Product Performance, put it best: “New Clio combines the compact dimensions of a B-segment car with the performance, technology and comfort of a model further up the market… elle a tout d’une grande!”

After driving it, it’s hard to disagree.

The Most Complete Clio Ever

Renault didn’t just refine the Clio—it re-imagined it.
The sixth-generation model is bigger, more premium, more efficient, more connected, and more confident in every respect.

In a segment under pressure from crossovers and budget EVs, the new Clio VI proves there’s still plenty of room for a sophisticated, well-built, fun-to-drive hatchback.

If the previous Clio was the segment benchmark, this one aims for class domination.

Superpowered?
Yeah—this time, the marketing might be right.

Source: Renault

News

BMW May Bring Back the Range Extender—And China Might Be the Reason Why

BMW, a company that once swore off the range extender after the quirky i3 REx, might be preparing for a comeback tour. Early reports hinted that the next-generation X5 could get a gasoline-powered generator, and now Bloomberg is echoing the same message—BMW is actively evaluating range-extender variants for upper-tier models like the X5 and 7 Series, according to insiders familiar with the brand’s long-term planning.

If you’re wondering why BMW would dust off a technology it abandoned years ago, the answer comes down to a single word: China.

China’s EREV Surge Is Too Big to Ignore

BMW’s grip on the Chinese market isn’t what it once was, but the region is still the automaker’s most important. In 2024, nearly one-third of all BMW Group sales—29.2%—went to China, outpacing the U.S. and Germany combined. And unlike Europe and North America, China has developed a serious taste for extended-range EVs (EREVs).

According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, EREV sales jumped almost 50% in the first five months of 2025 alone. Homegrown brands like BYD (with the Yangwang U8), Aito’s M9, and Li Auto’s runaway-success L9 are dominating the segment. Their formula is simple: electric driving for everyday use, plus a compact, fuel-sipping generator for when the battery runs dry.

Sound familiar? That’s essentially the same recipe BMW cooked up with the i3 REx—just scaled up for massive luxury SUVs.

Why BMW Might Be Revisiting the Idea

The pitch makes sense: a next-gen X5 or 7 Series that delivers pure EV performance most of the time, but with a compact engine humming along at a constant rpm to juice the battery on long highway runs. No wheel-driving from the engine, no hybrid complexity—just a generator smoothing out the road-trip anxiety that comes with big EVs and big distances.

And it’s not just China showing interest. In the U.S., range-extender thinking is quietly gaining traction in the heavy-duty segment. Ram will use a generator-supported electric powertrain in its upcoming Ramcharger, and the reborn Volkswagen Scout lineup is expected to offer something similar. It’s a way to keep towing capability and road-trip freedom without going back to a full gas-powered drivetrain.

Europe throws another wrinkle into the mix. Regulators are still tweaking what the 2035 combustion-engine ban will and won’t allow. Depending on how “emission-neutral” rules evolve, future EREVs might skate through as compliant, creating yet another reason for BMW to keep its options open.

Inside the Engineering Playbook

Should BMW pull the trigger, the likely blueprint remains close to the i3’s:

  • The engine never drives the wheels.
  • It runs at an optimal, fixed rpm to maximize efficiency.
  • It acts purely as a generator, feeding electricity back into the pack.

BMW already has a suite of compact, highly efficient gasoline engines ready to adapt for generator duty. Combined with the company’s EV-first platforms and existing battery know-how, development time wouldn’t be as long as it was a decade ago.

But Don’t Get Too Excited Yet

Officially, BMW isn’t confirming anything. When Bloomberg reached out, a company spokesperson stuck to the corporate script: BMW is “continuously analyzing usage patterns, customer needs, and market developments” and “reviewing the market potential of various technologies.”

Behind the scenes, the story is even murkier. Sources tell us no range-extender programs have been formally approved. Nothing is locked in. Not yet.

But the signals are getting harder to miss. China’s appetite for EREVs is exploding. U.S. buyers are warming to generator-backed electric trucks and SUVs. Europe may soon carve out regulatory breathing room for the format. And BMW has two large, spacious platforms—the X5 and 7 Series—that could take the hardware without compromise.

If the range extender is coming back from the dead, BMW might be the brand bold enough to resurrect it.

Source: Automotive News

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