An extreme test to put 635 horsepower to the test
Amidst stones, dirt tracks and tricky passages, Defender Octa, the exclusive version of the Land Rover Defender, proves to be a true top-performing 4x4.
2' min read
2' min read
Take a Land Rover Defender, the new one, the one that caused an outcry because for 'enthusiasts' it was little more than an SUV. Fit it with a 635 horsepower V8 engine, capable of launching it from 0 to 100 km/h in 4 seconds and reaching 250 km/h. Make it wider and longer, with completely revised driving dynamics and hitherto unthinkable on- and off-road capabilities. Done? You have the new Land Rover Defender Octa.
Before I tell you how it went in Spain in the Les Comes driving centre, a quick summary of product and positioning.
The most powerful Defender ever is powered by a 4.4-litre Twin Turbo mild-hybrid V8 producing 635 hp and up to 750 Nm of torque. It has a ground clearance increased by 28 mm, a chassis stance widened by 68 mm and is fitted with the new Dynamics 6D suspension with pitch and roll control plus a thorough reworking of the chassis components. To offer unprecedented safety and control on any terrain, ensuring both maximum wheel articulation off-road and roll reduction on the road, the revised suspension components include longer, stronger wishbones and unique active dampers with separate accumulators. It also features upgraded 400mm front brake discs with Brembo calipers and the fastest steering ratio of any Defender ever produced.
All of this combined with Octa personalisation, not just a trim but a real 'world' of available customisations and exclusive materials not available on the Defender range. This very point, combined with a list price that starts at around 190,000 euros but goes up to 220,000 euros thanks to the list of accessories, makes it the perfect rival to the Mercedes G63 AMG Class. Not just a challenge on price positioning, power and off-road capabilities, but the British brand's desire to make the Defender Octa as iconic and 'trendy' as the German off-roader.
To find out, we did the only thing we could: we took it to the limit on the road (closed to traffic) but above all off-road, and assessed the difference between marketing and the real possibility of challenging 'Her Majesty' (in terms of sales, model value and price retention) G-Class. Tested in an edition one version with 20" Goodyear Wrangler tyres (designed for off-road use), on asphalt it surprised us from the very first kilometres. The work on steering and driving dynamics thanks to the revised mapping made it extremely quick and much more precise between bends, with the Brembo system capable of offering stopping distances unthinkable for many off-roaders.
