2024 Land Rover Defender OCTA unleashed

Land Rover has unleashed its most powerful Defender ever, with the twin-turbo V8-powered Defender OCTA officially introduced by the British marque.

First teased in March this year, the Defender OCTA will fetch an eye-watering price of close to $300,000, with Land Rover listing an indicative price from $291,542 (plus on-road costs) in Australia.

Its twin-turbo V8 is a 4.4-litre mild-hybrid unit mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with high and low range. It can generate a neck-snapping 467kW and 750Nm, enough to propel the OCTA from 0-100km/h in a claimed four seconds. Peak torque is available from 1800rpm through to almost 6000rpm.

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Just as impressive is the introduction of an intelligent hydraulic suspension system never seen before in a Defender. The suspension technology dubbed 6D Dynamics is “an advanced network of hydraulically-interlinked continuously variable semi-active dampers”. It essentially eliminates pitch and body roll for supreme on-road comfort and refinement, and enables greater wheel articulation for stronger off-road prowess.

It’s largely the same tech you’ll find on road-focused luxury SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne and Audi RS Q8. The uprated suspension also includes longer wishbones, and unique active dampers with separate accumulators.

Also aiding off-road pursuits, the OCTA features an off-road driving mode with a performance focus. Called OCTA mode, this includes an Off-Road Launch mode, as well as specific ”Off-Road ABS” calibration to maximise braking performance.

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Familiar Terrain Response modes are carried over, including Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass Gravel Snow, and Rock Crawl modes. Plus, the OCTA gets ClearSight Ground View, which makes the bonnet transparent (on the screen), a boon when descending or ascending tricky off-road terrain.

“With New Defender OCTA we have been able to unlock the full potential of Defender. It is the very definition of breadth of capability, and a testament to what we can achieve utilising the very best technologies and talents within our engineering division,” said Mark Cameron, Managing Director, 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.”

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The Defender OCTA is 28mm higher and 68mm wider than a standard 110. It has 400mm front brake discs with Brembo callipers, and it wears 33-inch tyres (the largest ever for a production Defender) inside Goodyear all-terrain tyres that were developed specifically for the OCTA. All-new, trick Performance Seats with integrated Body and Soul Seat audio technology can be found in the cabin.

The high-performance hero variant is set to debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed from 11–14 July.