The Defender Octa is powered by an electrically-assisted 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. Picture: JLR
The most powerful Land Rover Defender yet is heading for South Africa. After making its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England last month, the Defender Octa is set to the rolled out locally in the first quarter of next year.
The name Octa is derived from the octahedron shape of a diamond and therefore every models features a new encircled diamond graphic, including a gloss black diamond within a machined and sandblasted titanium disc on each Signature Graphic panel.
The beastly Defender Octa swops out the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that serves on the current Defender V8 in favour of the 48-volt mild-hybrid 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine sourced from BMW that also serves on the Range Rover.
The engine, which is mated to eight-speed automatic transmission, produces a staggering 467kW of power and 750Nm of torque. That is an uptake of 81kW/125Nm from the Defender V8.
The mild-hybrid system adds another 25kW/175Nm in short bursts. Launch control adds an 800Nm boost to propel the Defender Octa from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250km/h. The additional power has meant that the Defender Octa’s brakes has been updated from that of the standard version. The Octa features a 400mm six-piston callipers in front, with the single-piston callipers at the rear measuring 365mm.
While the Octa will no doubt be a menace on the tarmac, it is specifically designed to perform off the beaten track too, even featuring a form of off-road launch control.
“It is easy for manufacturers to create luxury, performance or capability in an SUV. But offering all three at the same time is what sets the Defender apart,” says Janico Dannhauser, Product & Pricing Manager for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Africa.
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A redesigned chassis features what JLR calls 6D dynamic suspension. Its height-adjustable air suspension uses hydraulically-inter-linked continuously variable semi-active dampers to scan adjust the suspension to various road.
Other enhancements are a new cooling system, upgraded differential and transmission cradle, expanded underbody protection and strengthened wishbones.
A wading depth of one metre in possible in the Defender Octa. Its ground clearance of 323mm is 28mm higher than the Defender in standard guise.
According to JLR, the Octa’s improved wheel articulation underwent 13 960 tests over and above the Defender programme.
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In addition to the Comfort, Dynamic, Mud/Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand and Rock Crawl settings in the Terrain Response 2 system, a new Octa mode is offered. This enables off-road launch control “for optimum acceleration on loose surfaces”.
The Defender Octa, which will start at a price of R3 499 100 and will be available in limited numbers, comes standard with 22-inch alloy wheels in 33-inch Goodyear Advanced all-terrain rubberware.
The cabin features mostly cosmetic changes like the use of uprated materials.
JLR has been a proud protagonist of electrification, especially with Jaguar becoming an all-electric brand soon. But the manufacturer realises the value of performance cars like the Defender Octa and hybrids in its overall strategy.
“The decision to make Jaguar an all-electric brand does not mean we should now be seen as greenies,” says Richard Gouvervour, Managing Director for JRL South Africa.
“There has been some re-orientation in our strategy which means that hybrids and performance cars are not going anywhere. Electrification adoption has been somewhat challenging and we are therefore working on our strategy going forward.
“Demand for hybrid has increased, which can lead to production constraints. So we had to relook the sales mix and adoption of various powertrains.”
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Plug-in hybrids (PHEV), which utilises an electric motor and small capacity battery in combination with a traditional internal combustion engine, are offered on all JLR’s local model ranges. These include the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar and Evoque, Defender, Discovery and Discovery Sport.
PHEV variants are also offered in the Jaguar E-Pace and F-Pace ranges.
Gouvernour added that the E-Pace, F-Pace and F-Type and all-electric I-Pace will stay on sale locally before the electric models will be introduced from next year.
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