Land Rover Defender OCTA Debuts With Mild-Hybrid V8: Design, Specs, Features, Price

The British SUV maker - Land Rover, has taken the wraps off the most powerful version of the Defender. The brand calls it the Land Rover Defender OCTA, and it claims that it is the most capable avatar of its SUV for both on-road and off-road duties. The bookings for the Defender OCTA bookings will open soon at an indicative price of Rs 2.65 crore, while the Edition One will be available through the first year of production at Rs 2.85 crore. The first public debut of the SUV will take place at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, scheduled to happen from 11-14 July.

Land Rover Defender OCTA: Performance

Under the bonnet, sits a BMW-derived 4.4L twin-turbo V8 engine, capable of producing 635 Hp and 750 Nm of max torque. These numbers help it in doing a 0-100 kmph sprint in 4 seconds flat with a quick 8-speed automatic gearbox. In the Dynamic Launch Mode, the peak torque boosts up to 800 Nm. The Defender OCTA sits 28 mm higher and has a stance widened by 68 mm, for added stability and ground clearance. The braking force comes from 400 mm front brake discs with Brembo callipers.

Suspension duties are being taken care of by a 6D hydraulically-interlinked continuously variable semi-active dampers designed to eliminate pitch and body roll on-road. Also, there are three driving modes - Comfort, Dynamic, and OCTA. For added off-road capabilities, there's a Terrain Response suite as well, comprising Sand, Mud & Ruts, Grass Gravel Snow, and Rock Crawl modes. The ClearSight Ground View2 enables a transparent bonnet.

Land Rover Defender OCTA: Design & Interior

The Defender OCTA rides on 33-inch tyres, the largest-ever fitted on a Defender ever. To house them, the wheel arches are extended, and the bodywork is also tweaked to make it off-road focussed. Highlights include a unique grille design allowing greater under-bonnet airflow, a new rear bumper incorporating a four-exit active exhaust system, tough underbody protection including an aluminium alloy front under shield with graphite finish and exposed Phosphor Bronze-finished front and rear recovery points. The paint options are limited to Petra Copper, Faroe Green, Carpathian Grey and Charente Grey. A contrast black roof is standard across the range.

For Defender OCTA, 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. The front row of Defender OCTA features all-new Performance Seats with more supportive bolsters and integrated headrests. 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.