Land Rover has taken the wraps off the all-new Defender Octa prior to its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed starting July 11.
The brand has declared the Octa as its most powerful Defender yet, and its name is inspired by the octahedron diamond, whose shape is synonymous with durability. To justify this claim, the Defender Octa has undergone several revisions inside and out, including an all-new engine.
Similar to this year’s Range Rover Sport SV, the Defender Octa gets the BMW-sourced 4.4L twin-turbocharged mild-hybrid V8 that’s rated at 626 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque and mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
This is a substantial improvement over the previous Defender that was equipped with the supercharged V8 that produced 108 fewer hp and 92 lb-ft less torque. The Defender Octa is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed 4.0 seconds, which is just 0.2 seconds off from the Range Rover Sport SV, and can achieve a top speed of up to 250 km/h when fitted with 22-inch wheels and all-season tires.
Customers will also get the option of speccing their Defender Octa with a bespoke off-road tire that is 33 inches in diameter. As the largest tire ever fitted to a Defender, it gets specially designed 20-inch rims and advanced Goodyear all-terrain rubber. Top speed is limited to 160 km/h with this tire.
Land Rover has also equipped the SUV with the hydraulic 6D Dynamics suspension technology from the Range Rover Sport SV, which hydraulically links the dampers to actively limit body roll, keep the cabin stable, and improve wheel articulation without the need for a physical anti-roll bar.
Compared to the Defender 110 V8, the Defender Octa’s ride height has risen by 28 mm and its width has been increased by 68 mm. It also features uprated 400-mm front brake discs with six-piston Brembo callipers, longer and tougher wishbones, beefed-up underbody protection, and the fastest steering rack yet.
To prove both its off and on-road durability and prowess, Land Rover engineers created a bespoke testing development program for the Defender Octa comprising 13,960 tests. Moreover, the SUV now sports a new Octa mode that, in addition to priming it for the toughest trails, has a dedicated off-road launch mode built in for optimum acceleration on loose surfaces.
Apart from the extended wheel arches, the Defender Octa’s exterior consists of a new rear bumper, a quad active exhaust system, a diamond-shaped Octa badge on the C-pillar, gloss black roof and tailgate, and new front grille designs for better airflow. Two new paint finishes, Petra Copper and Faroe Green, are also available on the SUV with the latter being exclusively available on the Edition One version.
Inside, the Edition One of the SUV has been equipped with new dual-tone Khaki and Ebony performance seats with better bolsters and integrated headrests along with chopped carbon fibre trim. Other interior highlights include the 11.4-inch infotainment screen and a Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather as standard.
Land Rover has begun taking orders for the Defender Octa and priced it at $175,000 in Canada. Meanwhile, the Edition 1 version of the SUV is set to cost $191,000.
You may also like
