Land Rover Defender Octa Revealed; Priced In India At ₹2.65 Crore

Land Rover has revealed the new high-performance variant of the Defender, called the Octa. Land Rover says the bookings for the Defender Octa in India will open soon and it is priced at ₹2.65 crore (ex-showroom, India). The British marque has also introduced a special Defender Octa Edition One which is priced at ₹2.85 crore (ex-showroom, India). The Octa is based on the 110 body style of the Defender. 

Cosmetically, the Octa gets new front and rear bumpers which Land Rover claims have improved the approach and departure angles of the Defender. There’s a new, larger grille which is said to improve cooling in the engine bay. The Defender Octa gets four exhaust pipes at the back, extended wheel arches as well as an aluminium skid plate at the front. It also gets a special diamond badge in a circular frame on the C-pillar. The Defender Octa rides on 22-inch alloy wheels with 33-inch tyres, while the Octa Edition One gets 20-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres. 

The Defender Octa gets two new colours – Petra Copper and Faroe Green – along with Carpathian Grey and Charente Grey. All colours get a dual-tone finish with a Narvik Black roof and tailgate. The Faroe Green colour is exclusive to the Edition One version and it also gets a chopped carbon-fibre finish for the trims ('Defender' lettering and air intakes on the bonnet as well as on the centre console and front seatbacks).

Inside, the Defender Octa gets new performance seats with integrated headrests and better bolstering. The seats also get a new Body and Soul audio technology which Land Rover claims allows the front passenger to feel the music in the seats. The rough exterior is matched with the rough interior as the Defender Octa gets a durable upholstery developed by Ultrafabrics which is claimed to be 30 per cent lighter than traditional leather. As standard, the Defender Octa gets a Brown and Black cabin theme, while the Edition One gets a Black and Green interior. 

Under the hood, the Defender Octa gets a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with mild hybrid assist. The powertrain produces 626 bhp and 750 Nm and power is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox with high- and low-range gears. Land Rover claims the peak torque of the Defender Octa can be increased to 800 Nm with the Dynamic Launch Mode. 0-100 kmph is achieved in four seconds (claimed). 

Land Rover has not only given the Defender more power but also improved the dynamics with the new Octa variant. The brand claims the new hydraulically interlinked suspension system allows for good on-road and off-road manners. The ride height of the Defender Octa has also been increased by 28 mm and the stance by 68 mm. All these upgrades allow the Octa to have a water wading depth of 1 metre, 100 mm more than the standard Defender. The front brakes now get a 400 mm disc and the steering geometry has also been improved for better response. 

There are multiple drive modes in the new Defender Octa. It gets a Comfort mode, a Dynamic mode and a new Octa mode which can be accessed via a new button on the steering wheel which resembles a diamond. While the Dynamic mode is tuned for the best possible on-road driveability, the Octa mode is tuned for the same dynamic ability off the road. The Defender Octa still gets Land Rover’s Terrain Response system that includes Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass Gravel Snow and Rock Crawl. In addition, it also gets a transparent bonnet feature to improve visibility while off-roading. 

The Defender Octa will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, between July 11 - 14 While Land Rover hasn’t mentioned the launch date of the Defender Octa and Defender Octa Edition One, expect an India launch later this year. Once launched in India, the Defender Octa will rival the Mercedes-AMG G 63. For perspective, the facelifted G 63, which is set to launch in India soon, produces 577 bhp and 850 Nm.