‘Unstoppable’ Defender OCTA Officially Revealed

We already knew that Land Rover was preparing a very high-end Defender. This was evident when it canceled the Discovery SVX. It was already known at the initial launch of the Defender, when the manufacturer already knew it was on to a winner. This was evident based on the car’s subsequent sales performance and buyers’ willingness to accept six-figure asking prices. Already at the presentation of the first V8 derivative, it was clear that the chassis had more to offer. The question was never “if,” but “when.” And to what extent Land Rover would allow hair.

Well, the answers are ‘now’ and waist deep. We already knew that this model would be called OCTA (something to do with diamonds; let’s keep it quiet) and would have the same combination of 4.4-liter V8 engine and hydraulically linked dampers as the new Range Rover Sport SV. But we didn’t know the output would be the same – meaning the Defender gets 635bhp; fully 110bhp more than the 5.0-litre V8 derivative – and we knew nothing of the specs or price. Both are blatant.

How to say car. In a break from tradition, Land Rover is touring the country (and its other major markets) showing the 110 to specific customers ahead of its official unveiling and dynamic debut at the Festival of Speed; static preview that PH was invited to last month so we got to see it live. He wondered about it, really. The pictures barely do it justice: these are 33-inch tyres, the largest ever fitted to a production Defender, with specially developed off-road rubber from Goodyear – not to mention the new lightweight 20-inch alloy wheel design, which some say is the best by far. which we have seen on the car so far.

It helps that the wheel arches have been stretched to accommodate them, giving the OCTA the kind of scowling, goose-stepping stance that sets it apart from the rest of the range. Plus, you get a new grille (said to improve airflow under the hood), revised bumpers for better approach and departure angles, and much tighter underbody protection thanks to a new aluminum alloy shield. But you will notice the rims. And an updated exhaust with four exit valves. And front and rear phosphor bronze towing eyes. In Faroe Green – exclusive to the specially modified One Edition – it looks muscular enough to hunt down a Scud missile launcher in the Iraqi desert.

What’s underneath doesn’t dilute the impression in any way. The V8 and its eight-speed automatic are already familiar, yet they’re poised to give the Defender an unknown amount of power. The current 5.0-liter 110 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a rough 5.4 seconds; OCTA will get you there in dead 4 seconds. It’s clear that this is a meaningful increase in efficiency, and a lot of time and effort has gone into delivering a new chassis to hold it. The new one sits 28mm higher than standard, yet its track is 68mm wider, and the roll center and curb weight remain about the same as the turbocharged 110. Land Rover says the OCTA has longer and stiffer wishbones, as well as improved 400m front discs with Brembo calipers.

The suspension geometry has also changed, although the introduction of the continuously variable 6D Dynamics system with hydraulically linked shock absorbers should serve as the key difference in the car’s handling. The ability to dramatically suppress roll and body roll should have almost the same effect on the road as the Range Rover Sport SV, although Land Rover was keen to emphasize what this means for the OCTA’s off-road performance – not just by increasing the wheel articulation, but also incorporating it into the “ the Defender’s first ever dedicated performance-focused off-road driving mode’.

Inevitably, it’s called “OCTA Mode”, although “Baja” would seem more appropriate. The manufacturer talks about providing “perfect control and driver confidence”, but by enabling an Off-Road Launch mode for unpaved surfaces combined with what is essentially a TracDSC setting, the end goal is clearly to skid happily without completely gave up the safety net. Obviously, you still get the full suite of grown-up Terrain Response modes – but the unique Off-Road ABS calibration for speeding on gravel tells you a lot more about what some OCTA owners expect from a Land Rover.

“Our high-performance experts have achieved the impossible with the Defender OCTA and have worked tirelessly over the last three years to create the most capable Defender ever built – no matter what surface it likes,” commented Jamal Hameedi, who has joined JLR as director of SVO with the aim of building this very car. “They have redesigned components throughout the vehicle to ensure the Defender OCTA is the perfect companion for epic adventures anywhere on the planet.”

As might be expected, a “no compromise” approach was repeatedly emphasized when discussing the development process. Land Rover likes to talk about its grueling testing regime, but the OCTA is said to have broken all previous durability records – not least by driving all the most extreme off-road sections the company has access to (its extra ground clearance means its wading depth has increased to one meter) but also by going to places they have never been before, such as the Château de Lastours, where the teams preparing for the Dakar are usually held.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that for some OCTA owners, things will be no more challenging than the school gates – and when Land Rover wasn’t bombarding you with stories about how much fun the car is on the rally stage, Land Rover wanted to emphasize just how remarkable it is. the bandwidth of the model really is. This is probably best encapsulated in tire selection. Yes, you can have three-ply, puncture-resistant, go-anywhere Goodyears that (advisory) limit your car to 99 mph—but you can also have all-season rubber on a flashier 22-inch rim that lets you go 155 mph. And for those who want to go off-road but also safely hit 112 mph, there’s an option between the two. The choice is largely up to you.

And that’s to be expected, because OCTA is not a traditional top of the range for now anyway. Land Rover has committed to building 1,070 examples in the first year, making it a limited edition model of its kind (the First Edition version will only be available during this period). If the very well-attended event we were invited to is any indication of the level of interest worldwide, it’s highly unlikely to remain a short-lived option – although that hasn’t stopped its creator from pricing it like it is: it starts at OCTA in the UK at £145,300, with first editions costing from £160,800. Thank goodness the latest Mercedes-AMG G63, the model right in Land Rover’s sights, can’t be had for less than £184,595. Talk about unlocking the Defender’s full potential. Expect the order books to open soon and to sell out almost immediately.