After teasing the Land Rover Defender Octa multiple times, Land Rover has finally revealed the new Land Rover Octa globally. The new Defender Octa is the flagship SUV in the Defender range and is the most powerful Defender ever created with a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. Prices of the Land Rover Defender Octa start from Rs 2.65 crores (ex-showroom) in India.
There is also a special edition that will be sold only for one year after launch, and this model is priced at Rs 2.85 crore (ex-showroom).
The SUV will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next week. The Oct is based on the Defender 110, but receives significant upgrades for greater dynamics, better off-road capability, a new suspension setup, chassis updates and also off-road-focused exterior elements. Bookings for Defender Octa will begin in the second week of July. The Defender Octa is available in four paint colours, with two exclusive premium metallics: Petra Copper and Faroe Green, as well as Carpathian Gray and Charente Grey. The Faroe Green color is exclusive to the limited-run Defender Octa Edition One model.
Let's talk about the powertrain first. As we mentioned earlier, the Defender Octa is the most powerful Defender ever. The SUV is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo BMW V8 engine with mild hybrid technology. The engine produces 635 HP and 750 Nm of torque, which increases up to 800 Nm with Launch Control. It comes mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h (both claimed).
The Defender Octa features a '6D Dynamic' suspension system which can also be found in the Range Rover Sport SV. It is a hydraulic system that connects dampers across the vehicle, enabling active management of pitch and roll without a traditional stabilizer bar. This configuration ensures sufficient wheel articulation for challenging off-road conditions while maintaining on-road performance and comfort. The SUV also features longer, stiffer arms and a faster steering rack than any Defender, improving reaction times in rough terrain and on the track. It also gets a new Octa setup and, in addition to preparing the SUV for the toughest trails, it also has a dedicated off-road launch mode.
Talking about the exterior design, the overall silhouette remains the same as the Defender, but it receives minor aesthetic changes and revised proportions. The front and rear bumpers have been redesigned to improve approach and departure angles, and the front grille has been modified to improve airflow. It has the same LED headlights and taillights, but the Octa also has a contoured diamond graphic that features a black diamond inside a titanium disc on the panel behind the rear window. The height of the Octa has been increased by 28mm, the track has been widened by 68mm and the wheel arches have been widened to accommodate larger off-road wheels.
Inside, it gets the same interior layout as the standard model, but here you get a two-tone look. Customers can choose between Burnt Sienna and Ebony, or Light Cloud and Lunar. The Octa Edition One only has a khaki and ebony interior. The front seats now have improved support and integrated headrests. The Defender Octa has been tested in a variety of extreme conditions, including countless laps of the Nordschleife, tackling the wet-weather Michelin circuit in France, traction control tests on Swedish ice and on the most challenging off-road terrain in Dubai and Utah. JLR claims to have carried out an additional 13,960 tests on top of the standard Defender test programme.
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