The Octa is the most powerful and fastest Defender in the line-up and capable of taking flight, as Mark Hacking discovered.Courtesy of manufacturer
In retrospect, a six-point racing harness would have been a good idea. This is what crosses my mind as the driver seated next to me crushes the accelerator pedal. In the process, he sends what is possibly the most capable luxury SUV in the world hurtling toward an imposing mound of dirt in the near distance. It’s the kind of obstacle that typically convinces someone to hammer on the brakes. But in this case, no.
We’re seated in a preproduction version of the Land Rover Defender Octa, the model referred to as “the most dynamic Defender vehicle ever created.” Now, if proven true, this statement alone is saying something. The original Defender, introduced in 1948, has successfully tackled all manner of off-road adventures from the start.
The new Defender, which relaunched the nameplate in 2019, has been an unqualified success around the world. Fans of the original may gripe that its successor is too luxurious or too expensive or too fancy to be a work vehicle, but that’s really the sum total of reasonable complaints. Now, we have the forthcoming arrival of the Octa, a reference to the traditional octahedron cut of a diamond with its pointed edges, which promises to take the new Defender 110 to new heights.
Here’s what the mad scientists at Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) have wrought.
The Octa has a special off-road launch control program.Courtesy of manufacturer
This will be the most powerful and fastest Defender in the lineup. A twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre mild-hybrid V8 replaces the standard V8 that powers all other Defenders. This engine creates 626 horsepower, 553 lb-ft of torque, a zero-to-100 kilometre-an-hour time of four seconds flat and a maximum potential top speed of 250 kilometres an hour. It’s ridiculously fast, especially for a large and largely squarish SUV that can scale the average rock-strewn mountain.
If the above performance numbers look familiar, they should. The Defender Octa shares the same engine as the recently released Range Rover Sport SV, currently the highest-performing model in the Range Rover lineup. There are other mechanical bits and pieces the two vehicles share.
Among these is the 6D Dynamics suspension system with its hydraulically interlinked components, an approach that’s more often used with supercars. In the SV, the system creates a super-SUV with incredible breadth of capability, one that can perform high-speed stunts on track, yet still show above average off-road capability.
For the Defender Octa, breadth of capability is again the objective – but the vehicle is engineered more for high-speed trickery on unpaved surfaces. This is the realization that strikes first as we hurtle toward that imposing mound of dirt. Or maybe it’s a vague sense of hope that 6D Dynamics will intuitively know what to do when we return back to earth after launching off this jump at speed.
There are other aspects of the vehicle that make it well suited to the pursuit of adventure.
The ride height is boosted by 28 millimetres, which helps to create the greatest wading depth of any production Defender in history, up to one metre of your liquid of choice. The Octa rides on 33-inch-diameter tires, also a record for any production Defender. There will be three tire-compound choices available, including an advanced all-terrain tire developed together with Goodyear.
The Octa has 626 horsepower and can sprint to 100 kilometres an hour in four seconds.Mark Hacking/The Globe and Mail
In addition to the typical drive modes found on the latest Defender, there’s also the bespoke Octa mode. Pressing and holding the Octa button on the steering wheel triggers a special off-road launch control program and a unique ABS program that allows for more tire slip on loose surfaces, which actually shortens braking distances.
The braking system itself features 40-centimetre front discs and six opposed Brembo calipers; again, this is the kind of stuff typically reserved for supercars. There are also new physical suspension system components, including active dampers and longer and tougher wishbones. A new front bumper design creates improved approach and departure angles to allow the Octa to better clear obstacles. Finally, for those times when obstacles can’t be cleared, there’s increased protection in the form of an aluminum alloy front undershield.
The truth be told, we don’t strike the undershield at any point during the thrill ride, despite my fears. As it turns out, the scientists at SVO have done their homework – and then some. The Octa catapults over the aforementioned mound of dirt, returns to terra firma some 10 metres later and settles quickly. Immediately thereafter, all four wheels are clawing the dirt and gravel furiously, powering the vehicle on toward the next obstacle.
First impressions: Fit the Defender Octa with those racing harnesses, weld in a roll cage, add a fire extinguisher or two, and you’re ready to tackle the Dakar Rally. It’s that good. The new Defender Octa can be reserved right now through Land Rover retailers across Canada. While final pricing has not been set, manufacturer indicative pricing starts at $175,000.
The ride height is boosted by 28 millimetres, which helps to create the greatest wading depth of any production Defender in history.Courtesy of manufacturer
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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