The Land Rover Defender Octa is what Land Rover itself calls “the new flagship of the Defender adventure brand.”. After all, Land Rover considers Defender to be a brand, which may take some getting used to. In any case, the Octa is rightly described as a flagship. In terms of power, the Defender Octa is above the 625-hp Defender V8. In terms of size, the Octa is not the top model. It only seems to come in the middle-length size, and therefore only as a Defender 110.
The Land Rover Defender Octa also has an eight-cylinder, but that is no longer a 5.0 V8 with a supercharger like in the Defender V8. The rugged nose houses a new 4-litre V8 with two turbos. That is also a mild-hybrid power source. The system output is 635 hp and, in launch mode, 800 Nm. If you do not switch on that mode, you can still enjoy 750 Nm under your right foot. The 800 Nm in sprint mode certainly contributes to the impressive acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h. That is only 4 seconds. For comparison, the Defender V8 with 625 hp and 625 Nm reached 100 km/h from a standstill in 5.2 seconds. A considerable difference, although its relevance remains questionable.
The Defender Octa is more than just a Defender with a new, extra-powerful drivetrain. For example, Land Rover has thoroughly modified the chassis. The Octa is the only Defender with hydraulically controlled ‘6D-Dynamics technology’. What does that mean? The Defender Octa is equipped with hydraulically linked and continuously variable dampers that ‘almost completely’ filter out the roll and pitch movements of the body. The chassis geometry has been adapted to heavy off-road use, as has the ground clearance. It is 2.8 centimetres higher than with a regular Defender. The track width has also increased by 6.8 centimetres. Extra-powerful braking from Brembo should be able to calm down a steam-driven Defender Octa properly. Furthermore, the Defender Octa gets a special Octa driving mode that is added to the list of driving modes: Octa Mode. This is in fact an off-road mode, but one that is focused on sporty performance.
The Octa models can be recognised by the Octa badges, but also by the front. The upper cooling slot in the nose of the Land Rover Defender Octa is not half boarded up with a silver-coloured strip. Furthermore, the lower grille in the front is a lot more open than that of the less rugged variants. Furthermore, the bumper work differs in detail. The Octa has special light metal, available up to 22 inches, and can also be ordered with All-Terrain rubber from Goodyear. The rear bumper is completely unique and also serves as the home base for the four exhaust tailpipes. Another point of recognition is the black plastic wheel arch extensions. Striking: the roof and the rear door of every Defender Octa are finished in black. For an additional charge, the Defender Octa can be provided with a matte wrap ‘for extra protection of the bodywork’.