The most powerful version of the Land Rover Defender is here with the Defender OCTA set to launch this year, priced from $291,542 plus on-road costs in Australia. The OCTA Edition One, available through the first year of production, will be priced from $317,592 plus on-road costs and offers a curated specification, finished in an exclusive new Faroe Green paint colour with a Khaki and Ebony Ultrafabrics PU and seam-less Knit interior, chopped carbon fibre detailing, and 20-inch forged alloy wheels fitted with all-terrain tyres.
Of course, the most impressive Defender is also the most expensive, and that $291,542 price makes it nearly $100,000 more expensive than the Defender 110 P525 V8, which is priced from $199,999 plus on-road costs.
It’s not for nothing, however, as JLR has pulled out the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and given the OCTA more muscle, with the all-terrain flagship now powered by the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 mild-hybrid engine as the range-topping Range Rover Sport SV. The engine produces 467kW (626hp) and up to 800Nm of torque in Dynamic Launch Mode, which is good for sprinting from 0 to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with high and low-range gears.
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To match this grunt, the 6D Dynamics suspension system with pitch and roll control will also be pinched from the Sport SV to offer the best of both worlds on- and off-road. From our experience in the V8-powered Defender, this will be a necessary and welcome addition to a chassis that suffers from fun, but excessive body roll. We had a chance to experience the 6D suspension in the UK last year, and it will transform the vehicle.
Engineers can use software to maintain a near-level stance during acceleration, braking, and cornering on flat terrain while maximising independent wheel travel and articulation off-road when needed. This pronounced change is most noticeable when using the new OCTA Mode – the first performance-focused off-road mode on a Defender – tuned to unlock full off-road capabilities, anti-lock braking and launch control.
“With New Defender OCTA we have been able to unlock the full potential of Defender. It is the very definition of breadth of capability, and a testament to what we can achieve utilising the very best technologies and talents within our engineering division. With its powerful V8 engine, ground-breaking 6D Dynamics suspension technology, exquisite finishes and unique detailing, it is rare, incredibly tough and inherently desirable,” said Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender.
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The Defender OCTA sits 28mm higher and 68mm wider thanks to revised suspension components, including longer and tougher wishbones and unique active dampers with separate accumulators. It also features uprated 400mm front brake discs with Brembo calipers and the fastest steering ratio of any Defender.
Physically, it’s an impressive beast with 33-inch Goodyear All-Terrain tyres – the largest ever fitted to a production Defender – and extended wheel arches to fit them. There’s off-road-focused front bodywork with a unique grille design for more under-bonnet airflow, a new rear bumper sporting a four-exit active exhaust system, underbody protection including an aluminium alloy front under shield with graphite finish and exposed Phosphor Bronze-finished front and rear recovery points.
“Our high-performance experts have achieved the impossible with Defender OCTA, working tirelessly over the past three years to create the most capable Defender ever made – regardless of which surface it is enjoyed on. They have re-engineered components throughout the vehicle to ensure Defender OCTA is the perfect companion for epic adventures anywhere on the planet,” said Jamal Hameedi, Director of SVO, JLR.
It’s equally impressive when you step into the cabin where, in the front row, you’ll find all-new Performance Seats with more supportive bolsters and integrated headrests that mirror those in the flagship Range Rover Sport SV. Defender’s close association with music is brought to the fore with immersive Body and Soul Seat audio technology – available for the first time in Defender.
You can choose from two durable Ultrafabrics PU options which are 30 per cent lighter than traditional leather. This seat finish is standard on Defender OCTA Edition One, in duo-tone Khaki and Ebony, with a knit textile and reductive, seamless finish seen throughout the images in this article.
The standard interior is a new Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather, with Kvadrat textile trim in Ebony. Alternatively, any Defender OCTA can be specified with Ultrafabrics PU in Light Cloud and Lunar, or semi-aniline leather in Ebony.
Ahead of its public reveal, the Defender OCTA underwent “the most exhaustive development regime in Defender history,” including testing in the snow and ice of Sweden to the Dubai desert, Nürburgring tarmac and Moab rock crawls.
Clients will be invited to Defender Elements series previews to see the vehicle before it goes on sale, and the public will be able to view the OCTA dynamic debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed from 11–14 July 2024.
The Defender OCTA will launch later this year and will be priced from $291,542 plus on-road costs in Australia. The OCTA Edition One, available through the first year of production, will be priced from $317,592 plus on-road costs. Order books will open shortly, and more information can be found on the brand’s website below.
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