New Land Rover Defender Octa Will Be a V-8-Powered Flagship Model
The Land Rover Defender is adding a new flagship model known as the Octa.
Land Rover promises it will be "the toughest, most capable, and luxurious Defender vehicle ever," with a twin-turbo V-8 under the hood.
Full pricing and specifications will be announced closer to the Octa's full reveal later this year, with the automaker confirming that production will be limited to 1000 units for North America in 2025.
UPDATE 4/25/24: This article has been updated to include new information released by Land Rover, that the Defender Octa will be revealed on July 3, 2024. The automaker confirmed that production numbers will be limited to 1000 units for North America in 2025. The vehicle will be shown to clients at private events held in New York City and Los Angeles ahead of the public reveal in July.
CLARIFICATION 4/2/24: A Land Rover spokesperson has clarified to Car and Driver that the new Defender Octa will be a 2025 model instead of a 2024 like we originally thought.
Land Rover has announced a new flagship model to sit atop the Defender's already diverse lineup. The new model will be known as the Octa—a name the brand derived from an eight-sided polyhedron—or octahedron. The Defender Octa will be "the toughest, most capable, and luxurious Defender vehicle ever," according to Land Rover.
Power will come from a twin-turbocharged V-8 under the hood. We won't know exact power figures for certain until closer to the Octa's full reveal later this year, but we think it's likely that the Octa will feature the same 626-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 found in the revamped Range Rover Sport SV. In that model, the powertrain is claimed to send the SV Edition One to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 180 mph.
The Octa will also earn Land Rover's trick new suspension setup from the SV. The manufacturer calls the system "6D Dynamics," which in more understandable terms mean it pairs the Sport's standard air springs with hydraulically cross-linked dampers in place of anti-roll bars. The system not only allows the Defender to maintain a near-level stance during aggressive acceleration, braking, and cornering, but it also massively aids in independent wheel travel and articulation while off-roading.
Sticking with the model's theme, the Octa will differentiate itself from other Defenders with a new diamond-shaped badge placed on areas like the steering wheel and side paneling. Land Rover says development for the Octa has been the toughest of any Defender in history, with tests occurring from Sweden to Dubai to the Nürburgring and Moab.
Full details such as pricing and specifications will be announced closer to the Octa's full reveal later this year, but customers interested in the Defender Octa should reach out to their dealers now because Land Rover is promising prospective clients invitations to exclusive previews as part of a new global Defender Elements series. The automaker confirmed that production numbers will be limited to 1000 units for the 2025 model year in North America.
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