Most Powerful Land Rover Defender Ever Arrives With 626 Hp
The Mercedes-AMG G 63 will no longer be the king of off-road power among luxury SUVs as Land Rover today announced its most potent and most expensive Defender ever. Named OCTA after the octahedron shape of a rough diamond, this new model will officially debut in a few days at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K.
While the iconic German off-roader delivers up to 577 horsepower, the Defender OCTA cranks things up to 626 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque thanks to a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 borrowed from BMW (and shared with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport). It’s a huge step up from the supercharged 5.0-litre V8’s 518 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque.
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The eight-speed automatic transmission is carried over albeit with specific tuning. As a result, 0-100 km/h acceleration is achieved in less than 4 seconds instead of 5.2 seconds. The automaker claims a top speed of 250 km/h.
By the way, a long press of the transparent signature logo button on the steering wheel accesses OCTA Mode, the first-ever dedicated Defender off-road driving mode with a performance focus. It enables an Off-Road Launch mode for optimum acceleration on loose surfaces. Also, when combined with the lowest traction control settings (TracDSC or DSC off), it engages a unique Off-Road ABS calibration for optimum braking performance on loose surfaces, too.
In addition to flexing its muscles, the Defender OCTA benefits from 28 mm (1.1 inches) of extra ground clearance, 68 mm (2.7 inches) of additional track width, larger brakes and more rugged tires in a size of 20-22 inches. The model further stands out with a redesigned front grille and bumpers, an aluminum alloy front under shield with graphite finish and exposed Phosphor Bronze-finished front and rear recovery points.
Inside, the front row features all-new Performance Seats with more supportive bolsters and integrated headrests. The standard interior is a new Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather, with Kvadrat textile trim in Ebony. Alternatively, any Defender OCTA can be specified with Ultrafabrics polyurethane in Light Cloud and Lunar, or semi-aniline leather in Ebony. There are five seats only since the lone configuration is the Defender 110.
We hear Land Rover wants to limit production to 300 units at first, including an even more exclusive Edition One model. Availability and pricing for Canada have yet to be confirmed. Right now, you can order a 2025 Defender 110 V8 from $148,720 including the various charges and the federal luxury tax.