In a world of $385,000 Range Rovers, it’s certainly not surprising that we now have a $340,000 Defender. But where your big-money Rangies are all about luxury, the Defender Octa has simply gone for absolute madness instead.
How is that? well, by wedging a 467kW/750Nm version of BMW’s superb 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under its squared-off bonnet and some seriously high-end off-road suspension under its equally squared-off body.
This won’t be news to anyone who has followed the Octa’s development and knows of Land Rover’s plans to return to racing in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship with it, but what is interesting is quite how well a vehicle designed with a focus on off-road performance translates into a surprisingly capable performance monster on road, and still maintain impressive refinement and comfort as well.
Make no mistake; the Defender Octa is a very serious off-road performance vehicle in the mould of the Ford Ranger Raptor, but - like the Raptor - isn’t a one-trick pony. It’s the whole damn circus.
The first surprise about the Octa is actually a bit of a mixed bag, and it comes courtesy of the BMW V8. It is, of course, superbly powerful, stupidly refined and remarkably responsive, as you would expect, belting the big 2510kg SUV to 100km/h from a standing start in just 4 seconds, making it the quickest Defender ever. And, significantly, 0.4 seconds faster than a Mercedes-AMG G 63.
While the sheer brutality of the performance is a delightful surprise (although it probably shouldn’t be), the other surprise from the excellent BMW powerplant is how… ordinary it sounds.
Fast Land Rovers previously relied upon - and still do in some cases - the spectacularly feral 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that was developed in its time under Ford ownership (although, to be fair, development had started before Ford took over). But where the big 5.0 roared, rumbled and howled like a proper V8, the BMW unit is significantly slicker and more refined, but nowhere near as rowdy.
It feels and sounds significantly different as a result, and not always in a good way - the raw, aggressive nature of the supercharged V8 would be more at home here.
The Octa is one of those very special 4X4s that, the worse the road gets, the better it feels, particularly at speed.
Adding to this, Land Rover seems to have made a bit of a misstep with the exhaust as well. Mainly, it just sounds a bit naff on the outside.
While distinctly V8-y and decently loud, the exhaust note is a little flat and surprisingly bland. Not the biggest problem in the world, but one that may matter to someone dropping $340k on a performance SUV.
The brutal performance does go a long way to help you overlook that fact, however, while the suspension set up utterly tramples that complaint into the mud.
While the "6D Dynamics” suspension system and chunky all-terrain tyres add a slight edge to the Defender’s urban ride, what they bring to the open road and, more particularly, off road more than make that a worthwhile compromise.
The Octa is one of those very special 4X4s that, the worse the road gets, the better it feels, particularly at speed. On the open road, the slight amount of fussiness from the tyres settles nicely, while upping the pace through a few corners highlights the suspensions impressive control and compliance.
Aside from all this high-performance off-road silliness, the Octa is still a Defender, which means the same high quality, but brutally functional and fantastically minimalist interior, and superb seats.
Hit gravel, and the Octa becomes an absolute weapon. If anything, the ride gets even better while also transmitting exactly what is happening under the tyres, while the steering is absolutely superb. If ever there were a time that I would describe a two and a half tonne SUV as an absolute gravel monster, this is it.
It is rather big, however, and while the stability electronics do a deeply impressive job of keeping things in line, you do need to be keenly aware of its sheer mass when getting frisky on a narrow gravel road…
Keep going when the road ends and the Octa keeps getting better. The big V8’s punchy performance remains utterly relentless off-road, and the Octa makes short work on pretty much any obstacle at low, or even quite high speed.
Of course, the Octa is - much like the Ranger Raptor - far more at home blasting across sand dunes than crawling through mud, but - also like the Ford - it is still simply relentless there as well.
Another, perhaps less obvious upside of the suspension is that, after a day out getting the Octa absolutely filthy, not slowing down in any way whatsoever for speed bumps (which you really don’t need to do!) quickly shakes the worst of the dried mud from inside the wheel arches…
Yes, the Octa is rather pricey, but there is little else you can get with so much presence, luxury and sheer ability.
Of course, aside from all this high-performance off-road silliness, the Octa is still a Defender, which means the same high quality, but brutally functional and fantastically minimalist interior, and superb seats.
While there is surprisingly little badging that shouts at you just how special the Octa is, there is quite a lot of chopped carbon fibre in the Edition One version we drove, something I’m not personally a fan of. The overall effect is a bit cheesy for my tastes, but the interior is still beautifully made and feels every bit as robust as a normal Defender. It is, however, optional so just... don’t.
Then there are those looks - the Defender Octa looks spectacular. With its chunky all-terrain tyres and menacing dark satin finish, it just looks tough, and the Octa trim added to the exterior in a subtle copper metal look are perfectly judged and used sparingly, which is not something you can always say about vehicles like the Octa.
Yes, the Octa is rather pricey, but there is little else you can get with so much presence, luxury and sheer ability. Yes, the Mercedes-AMG G 63 is roughly the same price, but it is fractionally slower and significantly less comfortable. It does sound better though...
How much is the Land Rover Defender Octa?
A lot. I mean, even by Land Rover standards, a lot. The Octa starts at $314,900 for the "basic" model, while the blacked-out Octa Black bumps this up to $337,900. The limited run Edition One we drove here pushes that even further to $339,900 but likely isn't available anymore anyway.
What are the key statistics for the Land Rover Defender Octa?
The Octa is powered by BMW's 467kW/750Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 hooked up to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Octa also gets a launch control function and a unique 'Octa' drive mode that adjusts the transmission and suspension for "optimal high-speed performance on loose surfaces."
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa efficient?
Oh goodness no. While the BMW V8 is actually quite impressively frugal for a petrol V8, drop it into an enormous 2500kg SUV and tune it so that said SUV can rocket to 100km/h in 4 seconds and, well... it's gonna like a drink. Land Rover claims a WLTP combined consumption figure of 13.1l/100km, but you're unlikely to see that very often. It is, however, massively more efficient than Land Rover's previous supercharged V8.
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa good to drive?
Most definitely. Brutally fast on and off the road, the Octa's biggest flaw is that there really aren't many places in New Zealand where you can fully exploit its remarkable abilities. That said, even just tapping into a fraction of its capabilities the Octa is an absolute blast to drive on any surface, with gravel being a genuine highlight. Seriously, something this big just shouldn't be as beautifully adjustable and predictable on loose surfaces as it is...
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa practical?
At the Octa's basic core it is a Defender, so you get everything that entails. This means heaps of interior space, a multitude of clever and thoughtful touches around the cabin for storage and practicality and, of course, an enormous boot.
What do we like about the Land Rover Defender Octa?
The startling breadth of its abilities; want a comfortable, luxurious and very fast SUV to devour vast distances on road? Yep, it can do that. Want a seriously capable off-roader that can go up/over/down almost anything with contemptuous ease? Yeah, it's got you covered there too. Want an utterly ferocious performance car that destroys corners and jumps sand dunes with equal aplomb. Weirdly that's not a problem either.
What don’t we like about the Land Rover Defender Octa?
The optional chopped carbon fibre on the interior of our car is a bit try-hard for my tastes, while the V8 just doesn't sound quite right.
What kind of person would the Land Rover Defender Octa suit?
Someone who wants the ultimate Defender or someone who loves the idea of a Mercedes-AMG G 63 but wants something that is faster and vastly more comfortable.
