At first glance, the new Land Rover Defender OCTA might seem like just another iteration of the already formidable Defender. Look closer, though, and you’ll spot the subtle cues: carbon fibre accents, broader wheel arches, an aggressive grille, and those seriously chunky wheels. But what truly sets the OCTA apart lies beneath the surface — in its hardware, its performance, and its philosophy.
A Name Cut Like a Diamond
OCTA takes its name from the octahedral shape of a diamond — a nod to both the vehicle’s desirability and its durability. Fitting, considering this is arguably the most advanced and capable Defender ever built. Land Rover didn’t just beef up the exterior; they reimagined the very bones of the vehicle, equipping it with a state-of-the-art 6D Dynamic air suspension system and a chassis designed to endure terrain most of us wouldn’t want to walk across.
The Tech Beneath the Toughness
So, what exactly is 6D Dynamic Suspension? In plain English, it’s a cutting-edge system that rapidly channels hydraulic pressure around all four corners of the vehicle, keeping body roll, pitch, and dive virtually non-existent. The result: a Defender that glides over rough terrain without tossing its passengers around like cargo. On the road, it keeps the ride flat and composed — even when unleashing all 626bhp of its twin-turbo V8 powerplant.
Speaking of which, the OCTA’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, sourced from BMW, replaces the outgoing supercharged V8. It’s more refined, more measured in its delivery, but still immensely powerful. Matched with faster steering and intelligent software, it gives the OCTA a surprising level of agility — especially for a vehicle tipping the scales at 2.5 tonnes.
From Cape Town to the Cederberg: A Test of Grit
To truly appreciate the OCTA, you need to drive it somewhere wild. Our test route stretches from Cape Town to Bushmans Kloof, winding through silky tarmac, corrugated gravel tracks, and desert sand dunes. It’s a journey designed not for speed, but for proving what this machine can endure.
As we ascend into the Cederberg Mountains, the OCTA’s composure on twisty roads is impressive — its advanced suspension soaking up imperfections while its V8 effortlessly pulls us through hairpins and straights. But it’s off-road where the magic happens.
Enter: OCTA Mode
After dodging a dazzle of zebra, we find ourselves on what looks like a rally stage deep in the South African wilderness. Time to hit the button at the base of the steering wheel: OCTA Mode.
With a press, the vehicle transforms. Stability controls ease back, power shifts rearward, and the Defender turns feral. It grips, sprints, and bounds across terrain that would humble lesser 4x4s. Only the sound of rocks smashing the underbody and the growl of the V8 remind you just how intense the outside world has become.
Worth the Price of Adventure?
The Defender OCTA starts at £145,300, while the already sold-out First Edition commanded £160,800. That’s a serious sum — especially for what is, on paper, a “tuned” Defender. But in a market oversaturated with super-SUVs built for school runs, the OCTA offers something rare: genuine off-road capability fused with advanced technology and road presence.
It’s not just fast — it’s ferocious. Not just rugged — but refined. The OCTA is a bold answer to a question few vehicles are brave enough to ask: what if the luxury SUV actually earned its adventure stripes?