Approved for South Africa Defender OCTA reveal date confirmed

Having commenced teasing the Defender OCTA at the end of last month, JLR, formerly Jaguar-Land Rover, has released more select details, including the date of reveal, of the replacement for the current Land Rover Defender V8.

Known so far

Its name referencing the shape of a diamond, the OCTA will become the first Defender model to use the BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 in place of the soon-to-be-discontinued Ford-era 5.0-litre AJ supercharged V8 used in the Defender V8.

Confirmed to get mild-hybrid assistance, the unit currently develops between 390 kW and 452 kW in various BMW models and in the full-size Range Rover, with the maximum torque in both instances being 750 Nm.

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While still to be detailed for use in the OCTA, the bent-eight will be paired to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox, which will send the eventual amount of twist to all four wheels through the permanent all-wheel-drive system.

Previously described as the “toughest, most capable and luxurious” Defender branded model JLR has ever made, the latest images show the OCTA undergoing testing in terrain ranging from the heat of the United Arab Emirates and North American deserts, to the winter weather of Sweden and ultimately, the Nürburgring where handling fine-tuning occurred.

The test regime having added 13 960 elements to the standard Defender‘s programme, known specification comprises a unique pitch-and-roll system called 6D Dynamics, standard air suspension, the Terrain Response 2 system, all-terrain tyres and Brembo brake calipers.

Coming to South Africa

Approved for unveiling on 3 July, JLR South Africa has indicated that the Defender OCTA will be sold locally, but in a limited numbers with the exact allocation being unknown at present.

Order books have since opened with the marque stating that interested buyers should contact their nearest dealer for more information.

“Defender OCTA will be synonymous with mastering epic adventures in heightened luxury,” Defender brand managing director, Mark Cameron, said in a statement.

More soon

Despite its unveiling being two months away, expect more details and teaser images to emerge before then.

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