There’s a hot new Defender coming with twin-turbo V8 power.
Set to be the most powerful member of the Defender (formerly known as Land Rover Defender) range, the OCTA will feature a mild-hybrid twin-turbo V8.
The brand has released a few teaser images of the hot SUV ahead of its reveal this year.
It claims it will be the toughest, most capable and yet most luxurious member of the Defender family.
Defender promises “outstanding all-terrain performance” thanks to a hydraulic interlinked 6D Dynamics air suspension setup with pitch and roll control.
This system is claimed to keep the vehicle at a near-level stance during acceleration, braking and cornering on-road, while also maximising independent wheel travel and articulation off-road.
While the brand hasn’t released any detailed specifications, the twin-turbo V8 is certain to be a BMW mill.
The Range Rover Sport SV already features a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from BMW, pumping out 467kW of power and 750Nm of torque (800Nm on overboost) and featuring a 48V mild-hybrid system.
The BMW V8 gets the Range Rover Sport SV to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds.
It has quite a bit more grunt than the current flagship Defender engine, JLR’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8, which produces up to 386kW and 625Nm.
Defender says it’s still testing the OCTA, and as part of its development program it’s tackling everything from the Nürburgring to icy Sweden, the desert of Dubai, and rock crawls in Moab, Utah.
The British brand also says a new “diamond-inspired signature graphic” will adorn all future “flagship” Defender models.
This diamond badging is found inside and outside the car, with gloss black logos within a machined and sandblasted titanium disc on each “Signature Graphic” panel.
So, what’s the connection between the name and the badge? Defender says the name comes from the octahedron shape of a diamond, which is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth.
Expect pricing to be north of the current Defender 110 P525 V8, which is priced at $224,970 before on-roads. That could push the Defender closer to the Mercedes-AMG G 63, currently priced at $363,561 before on-roads.
MORE: Everything Defender
MORE: Sell your car with CarExpert
