A more powerful V8 Defender is coming!

The OCTA unleashed. Read about it here!

Original story continues

Land Rover has teased a new flagship for the Defender range that it says will be the “toughest, most capable and most luxurious Defender ever.”

Badged as the Defender Octa, the new model is powered by a mild-hybrid twin-turbo V8 and will debut a clever hydraulic suspension set-up that Land Rover calls 6D Dynamics.

We don’t know exactly how much power the Defender Octa will make just yet, or exactly what V8 will sit under the bonnet, but the promise of twin-turbos suggests the same 4.4-litre unit found in the fresh Range Rover Sport SV.

What we do know it is will be more powerful than the current supercharged 5.0-litre V8 Defender which makes 368kW and 610Nm.

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Land Rover’s images show big Brembo brakes will provide greater stopping power, while sportier, hip-hugging seats will also feature inside.

A new suspension system, known as 6D Dynamics, will help fulfil Land Rover’s promise that the Octa will be the most capable Defender ever.

Instead of traditional anti-roll bars, the Octa will pair air springs with hydraulically cross-linked dampers to help maintain a “near level stance during acceleration, braking and cornering on-road, while also maximising independent wheel travel and articulation across the most demanding off-road terrain”.

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If that sounds familiar, it’s largely the same tech you’ll find on many high-performance, road-focused luxury SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne and Audi RS Q8.

The V8 Defender’s long-standing and recently facelifted rival, the Mercedes-AMG G63, has also moved to a similar hydraulic suspension set-up. Now there’s a two-car comparison test we’re looking forward to.

As for the Octa name, Land Rover says it’s derived from a diamond’s eight-sided octahedron shape, which is why you’ll also find a new encircled diamond graphic at various points around the car.

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The new diamond badge, which Land Rover says is “representative of the vehicle’s strength, resilience and desirability” is stuck onto a sand-blasted disc of titanium and will identify all flagship Defender models going forward