For decades, the Land Rover Defender has been the off-roader of choice for discerning adventurists looking to get out in the wilderness. But then Ford came along with its lifted, more powerful Raptor trim on trucks like the Ranger and Bronco to show how things should be done. Now, Land Rover is promising a comeback with the new high-performance Dender Octa.
The new car, which will be the most powerful Defender ever built, will take the V8 Defender and dial everything up to 11. This means it’s going to be tougher, more capable and, apparently, even more luxurious than the current range-topping Defender V8.
To manage this, Jaguar Land Rover will fit the new Defender with a twin-turbo V8 engine that comes with mild-hybrid power. There’s no word yet on power output, but as the current Defender V8 kicks out 525 hp we can expect it to be more than this.
When it comes to the gearbox you’ll get with the Octa, JLR has remained tight-lipped. It has, however, outlined some of the suspension upgrades that will aid the new car when you head off piste.
The Defender Octa comes with 6D Dynamics air suspension, which offers improved grip and traction on various surfaces. To do this, the suspension on the Octa comes with a pitch and roll control system that JLR says will allow it to “maximize independent wheel travel and articulation” when you head off road.
The new car, JLR says, will be about much more than off-road performance. It will also be about traveling around in style and, as such, its name has even been inspired by the octagon shape of most diamonds. Boujie.
To further show its jewelry-inspired origins, the Octa will come with a new logo to show off that it’s the new flagship Defender. It’ll look a bit like a black square in a gray circle, which has been machined from titanium to further show how tough and fancy this car is.
“The Defender Octa name and signature graphic are representative of the vehicle’s strength, resilience and desirability,” said Mark Cameron, managing director of Defender. “Inspired by the vehicle’s diamond-like tough luxury credentials. The new signature graphic is particularly significant as it will be the first time it is seen on a Defender — and it will identify all flagship Defender models in the future.”
The Octa, which is the first new model to launch since JLR spun Defender out as a standalone brand, will break cover later this year. There’s no word yet on an exact date that we can expect to see this beast in the flesh, and neither is there any hint at pricing.
However, as the current range-topping V8 starts above six figures, we can assume the Octa will as well.