2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA can go from 0 – 100 km/h in 4 seconds
The Land Rover Defender OCTA is the most powerful version of the 4x4 SUV yet
We already know Land Rover sells a supercharged V8 Defender. Heck if you're in the market for one, Land Rover Philippines is selling a 110 V8 Carpathian Edition that now starts at PHP 17.790 million. Should you want it with the Bespoke Accessory Pack, the price goes up to an eye-watering PHP 18.850 million.
With 525 PS and 650 Nm of torque, the V8-powered Defender can sprint from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 240 km/h which is impressive given its size. But there's an even more powerful Defender that was recently unleashed by Land Rover and it eclipses the supercharged 5.0-liter V8.
Ladies and gentlemen say hello to the 2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA, the most powerful version of the popular 4x4 SUV. Under the hood of this unassuming Defender is not a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. Instead, it gets a BMW-derived 4.4-liter twin-turbo mild-hybrid V8 that cranks out 635 PS and a whopping 750 Nm of torque and is immediately accessible at 1800 rpm. In Dynamic Launch Mode, torque output goes up to 800 Nm to help the Defender OCTA get off the line that much quicker.
The engine is then mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with high and low-range gears and allows the SUV to sprint from 0 – 100 km/h in a blistering four seconds flat. Top speed, meanwhile, is electronically limited to 250 km/h although we won't be surprised if future owners decide to remove the limiter.
Helping the Defender OCTA shave off speed are uprated front disc brakes that measure 400mm and come with Brembo calipers. Also worth mentioning is the fact that the OCTA comes with the fastest steering ratio of any Defender to date and comes with revised suspension components which include longer & tougher wishbones along with unique active dampers with separate accumulators.
It also features an advanced network of hydraulically interlinked continuously variable semi-active dampers. Land Rover calls it the 6D Dynamics system which eliminates pitch and body roll on-road and also contributes to ride comfort and refinement. On rough terrain, the system also allows for greater wheel articulation to take on extreme obstacles without sacrificing ride comfort.
The full capabilities of the Defender OCTA can be unleashed via the enhanced drive modes. Apart from the default Comfort Mode, Dynamic Mode delivers the ultimate performance focused on-road experience by tuning the vehicle's steering, throttle, and suspension settings with one press of a button on the steering wheel. A long press of the button also provides access to OCTA mode, the first-ever dedicated Defender off-road mode with a focus on performance.
OCTA Mode enables Off-Road Launch mode for optimum acceleration on loose surfaces. When combined with the lowest traction control settings, it also sets a unique Off-Road ABS calibration for optimum braking performance on loose surfaces.
Style-wise, the OCTA stands out from your typical Defender. It gets special 33-inch Goodyear Advanced all-terrain tires – the largest set ever fitted onto a production Defender and were developed specifically for the OCTA. The larger tires also resulted in Land Rover installing extended wheel arches to house the bigger rubber.
Other changes made to the Defender OCTA include an optimized front bodywork, unique grille designs that allow for greater airflow, a new rear bumper that incorporates a four-exit active exhaust system, tough underbody protection which includes an aluminum alloy front under shield, and exposed recovery points finished in Phosphor Bronze. Last but not least, the Defender OCTA sits 28mm higher and has a stance that's been widened by 68mm for better ground clearance and stability.
The 2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA will officially debut at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed next week. The automaker is now taking orders in Europe which means those interested in getting one here may want to ask Land Rover Philippines if they're already accepting pre-orders.
