High-performance Land Rover Defender OCTA set for BMW V8 power

Land Rover is set to unleash a new flagship in its Defender off-road SUV line-up later this year, with the OCTA claimed to positioned to be the brand’s “toughest, most capable and luxurious model”.

The engine the OCTA will use is yet to be confirmed, but Land Rover has announced it will be powered by a twin-turbo petrol V8, aided by a mild-hybrid set-up to trim fuel consumption.

Given there is no twin-turbocharged – nor a mild-hybrid – version of the 5.0-litre 'AJ' V8 in the current Land Rover Defender V8 – the final application of the near-20-year-old engine – it is all but confirmed the OCTA will use the BMW-sourced V8 in the new Range Rover.

With a 4.4-litre displacement and mild-hybrid tech, it is capable of 452kW/750Nm under the bonnet of the Range Rover P615 SV, or 467kW/750Nm in the Range Rover Sport P635 SV Edition One.

It represents a significant increase over the 386kW/610Nm of the 5.0-litre supercharged Jaguar Land Rover V8 in the Defender 110.

Backing up the powertrain is air suspension for “extreme performance across all terrains”, according to Land Rover.

Land Rover is spruiking a new ‘6D Dynamics’ system that will control pitch and roll in the Defender for claimed performance improvements on the road, as well as “maximising independent wheel travel and articulation across the most demanding off-road terrain”.

To stand the flagship Defender apart from the rest of the range, Land Rover will utilise gloss-black diamond badging along the model’s flanks, which has inspired the OCTA name through its octahedron shape.

The same motif will also be used in the cabin, with teaser images showing the steering wheel adorned with an illuminated diamond, while Brembo-branded brake callipers and all-terrain tyres are also shown for the new model.

The Land Rover Defender OCTA will be revealed in full later this year, and as the new flagship, is expected to be more expensive than the current range-topping $240,270 before on-road costs Defender 130 P500 V8 if it comes to Australia.