MOTORING Road Test First Drive: The Land Rover Defender Octa takes off-road performance to a new level
By Jack Evans, PA Motoring Reporter
What is it?
The Defender has been a big success for JLR. Despite some rumblings prior to its introduction that it wouldn’t live up to its famous nameplate, buyers have snapped up the high-riding off-roader, with just over 370,000 examples sold since it was first released back in 2020. Up until now, the quickest Defender model that you could buy has been the V8, but that all changes with this car – the Octa. It’s a comprehensively reworked Defender designed to go further and faster than the standard car.We’ve been testing it out.
What’s new?
This is far more than a Defender with a bigger engine. No, the Octa implements a series of big changes to help it deliver more performance for more of the time.The most notable introduction here is the clever 6D suspension – used recently on the Range Rover Sport SV – which is hydraulically interlinked. Essentially, this allows the car to better control its pitch and roll, while offering a ride height increase of up to 28mm over the standard Defender. You’ll also find that the rest of the car has been toughened up, with more extensive underbody protection helping deflect the blows. Redesigned front and rear bumpers help with approach and departure angles, too, while that ride height boost means that the Octa can wade in depths of up to a metre – more than any other Defender.
What’s under the bonnet?
You’ll find a 4.4-litre BMW-sourced engine lurking underneath the bonnet of the Defender Octa.With 626bhp and 750Nm of torque, it’s enormously powerful and, as you’d expect, connected to all four wheels in this case via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Performance is punchy; zero to 60mph is dealt with in just 3.8 seconds and flat-out, the Octa will manage 155mph.
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