2025 Land Rover Defender Octa Is a Posh Off-Road Beast

The 626-horsepower Octa is the ultimate Land Rover Defender. The company packed a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 under the hood, added its most advanced suspension system, and even fitted better seats to create an any-terrain monster.

Here’s the rundown.

Most Powerful Defender Ever

Its 4.4L twin-turbo V8 makes this the most powerful Defender the company has ever built. The 626 horses and 590 pound-feet of torque let the Defender Octa run 0-60 miles per hour in under 4 seconds. Its peak torque is on tap from 1,800 rpm to nearly 6,000, ensuring plenty of driving force whenever needed.

The Defender Octa — named for the octahedral shape of a diamond and, according to Land Rover, intended to convey toughness — is more than just a go-fast vehicle on the pavement. It stands 1.1 inches higher than other Defenders, providing more clearance, and the wheels have been pushed out a whopping 2.7 inches to give it more stability.

Plus, Land Rover says it has longer and stronger wishbones to give it more strength and wheel articulation off-road.

Significant Suspension Upgrades

The Octa also receives Land Rover’s 6D Dynamics suspension, the first time the system has been put on a Defender. 6D Dynamics is an active system that uses hydraulics instead of anti-roll bars. The absence of a physical bar, coupled with the hydraulic system, means the computer can stiffen things up for on-road handling, soften them for comfort, or completely decouple the wheels on each axle for maximum articulation.

New 400mm front brake discs clamped down on by six-piston Brembo calipers bring this Defender to a stop, even with the 33-inch all-terrain tires Goodyear developed just for the Octa.

In addition to the naming convention, Land Rover also developed a new “Octa” drive mode for maximum performance on dirt. Octa mode has off-road launch control and a special ABS setting designed for loose surfaces. It still has the usual Land Rover Terrain Response modes, but is also capable of identifying what you’re driving on and adjusting the modes automatically.

Massive Track, Big Tires

Land Rover pumped up the fender flares to clear the wide track and bigger tires. The new fenders mean new bumpers, too. The front bumper has grilles to let more airflow through the engine bay, and the rear integrates the four-exit active exhaust. There are new skid plates underneath, including an aluminum front undershield.

According to Land Rover, the Defender Octa had to go through 13,960 extra tests that the standard Defender didn’t. The tests were designed to prove high-speed durability both on pavement and off-road.

JLR said, “The team entered realms of capability and robustness that have never been explored before.”

You can get the Defender Octa in two new paint colors, Petra Copper and Faroe Green. It will also be sold in two of the Defender’s existing grays. Every Octa will have the roof and tailgate in a contrasting gloss black, and a matte paint protective film is optional.

2025 Defender Octa Starting Price

On the inside, the Defender Octa gets burnt sienna semi-aniline leather as standard, with two of the company’s Ultrafabrics offered as options. The Octa will get JLR’s Body and Soul seat, which includes drivers in the bottom and backrest that let you feel instead of just listening to your music. The chunky seats will have integrated headrests and bigger bolsters than a standard Defender.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender Octa is based on the Defender 110 body and starts at $152,000. The Edition One, a first-year-only model, runs from $167,800. Both should be at dealers later this year. You can see the Octa in action this weekend, July 11-14, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

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