The Most Powerful Defender Ever Will Pack a Twin Turbo V-8
Power is addictive and Land Rover has just announced a Class A edition of the Defender that’s sure to get drivers hooked at the merest sniff.
The upcoming OCTA is to be “the toughest, most capable, and luxurious Defender vehicle ever,” says Land Rover, and will be powered by a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine. This is likely the same 626-hp unit just fitted to the Range Rover Sport SV where it propels the luxury SUV to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds on its way to 180 mph.
Also crossing over from the SV is Land Rover’s “6D Dynamics” suspension which matches air springs with hydraulically cross-linked dampers. This active system beats physics into submission and keeps the 5500-lb Defender level during acceleration, braking, and cornering. What’s more it does this while maintaining a high level of wheel articulation so off-road driving isn’t compromised. Massive Brembo brakes are fitted to provide ample stopping ability.
Land Rover has been putting all this to the test in on the ice roads of arctic Sweden, the deserts of Dubai and the rock crawls of Moab. The OCTA has even been hurled around the Nürburgring as part of “the most exhaustive development regime in Defender history.”
If you’re wondering where the name comes from, Land Rover says that the octahedron shape of a diamond was the inspiration, “diamond being the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, renowned for its rarity.”
The OCTA will get a number of diamond graphics on exterior and interior components, with sandblasted titanium also featuring. More details will be announced soon, including a price that’s likely to approach $150,000.
“Defender has been synonymous with all-terrain capability, with a bloodline tracing back to the Series 1 in 1948,” says Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender. “New Defender OCTA will take this to another level, with a dramatic stance, innovative technology and unparalleled attention to detail. With astounding performance and a bold new attitude, it will enable our clients to master epic adventures in heightened luxury.”
I still see this as a massive compromise versus the Range Rover or is it a duplication of effort? What will the tires be optimized for, road/track use or or some mix of “offroad”? I’m sure it will print some money for them but dynamically this would likely not be as good as a Porsche or BMW for sporty on road stuff.
Land Rovers, SI, SII, SIII, 90/110 and Defender (1948 to 2015) were Great British cars.
This is just a pretender to the names, both Land Rover and Defender.