Eight horsepower. That’s the difference between a McLaren F1 – the definitive 90s supercar and still the fastest naturally-aspirated car of all time – and the new Land Rover Defender.
And guess what? The off-roader is the more powerful of the two. Land Rover describes its new Defender Octa as “the new master of extreme performance on- and off-road”. It's powered by a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine with mild-hybrid assistance. Total output is 635 PS (compared to the F1’s 627) and 750 Nm (553 lb ft) of torque – also well up on the McLaren.
Land Rover claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds for the Defender Octa – just 0.6 behind the F1 – and a top speed of 155 mph. Prices start at £145,300.
To make its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this month, the Octa features what Land Rover describes as heavily revised chassis components, including the company’s 6D Dynamics suspension. That’s the same trick setup that gives the Range Rover Sport SV its uncanny cornering abilities. The hot new Defender also has the same seat tech as the Sport SV, which includes a set of transducers to deliver precise vibrations to your body when playing music.
The company says the hydraulically interlinked suspension makes the Defender Octa as fun to drive on-road as off. The car sits 28 mm higher than a standard Defender, while the stance has been widened by a not-insignificant 68 mm. It also featured uprated 400 mm front brake discs with Brembo callipers, plus the fastest steering ratio ever fitted to a Defender.
Pushing the Defender further than before, Land Rover says its development of the Octa included a bespoke testing programme with more than 13,000 additional tests. These included high-speed on- and off-road durability.
The new Octa name comes from the octahedron shape of a diamond and symbolises both toughness and luxury. A new Octa drive mode is described as “the first performance-focused off-road mode on a Defender,” and includes dedicated calibrations for the anti-lock braking and launch control systems. These are joined by the usual Sand, Mut & Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow and Rock Crawl drive modes.
Prices start at £145,300. However, the car will initially be available as the Defender Octa Edition One model, which is expected to be priced from £160,800 and features a unique specification for the first year of production and includes exclusive new paint options and what Land Rover calls “chopped carbon fibre detailing”.
Another unique feature of the Octa is 22-inch wheels with massive 33-inch tyres, which are the largest ever fitted by Land Rover to a Defender. These required extended wheel arches, which are joined by off-road-optimised front bodywork with a new grille design intended to improve under-bonnet airflow. There’s also a new rear bumper that incorporates a quad-exit active exhaust system, while the underbody is protected by an aluminium alloy front shield.
A set of less hardcore tyres are also available, as seen on the car pictured above.
Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said: “With New Defender Octa we have been able to unlock the full potential of Defender...With its powerful V8 engine, ground-breaking 6D Dynamics suspension technology, exquisite finishes and unique detailing, it is rare, incredibly tough and inherently desirable.”
