It will be released in 2024
Jaguar Land Rover is set to release the most powerful Land Rover Defender in history, which will be called Octa and will become the new flagship model of the series.
It was previously expected that the flagship could use the long-discontinued SVX name, but Jaguar Land Rover has now confirmed that the Octa will be the first Defender model to carry the new badge. The company said the Octa badge will be used on all top Defender models in the future. The name Octa is inspired by the structure of a diamond, which indirectly hints at the excellent characteristics of the car and its high price.
Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that the new car will be powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, replacing the supercharged AJ engine used in the current Defender V8. It is expected that the new product will use BMW's 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which is already used in many Range Rover models, such as the Range Rover Sport SV. This engine can produce 626 hp. and 799 N·m of torque. It can accelerate the 2.5-tonne Range Rover Sport SV to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds.
It was previously reported that production of the AJ engine ended last year, leaving Jaguar Land Rover with a small number of supercharged 5.0-litre engines remaining in stock at the moment. Currently, the AJ engine is used in only three models: Defender V8, Jaguar F-Pace SVR and Jaguar F-Type, which will be discontinued in June this year.
The Octa SUV will be equipped with the same 6D Dynamic suspension as the Range Rover Sport SV. The suspension connects the shock absorbers using hydraulic devices and can actively control the vehicle's pitch and roll without the use of traditional anti-roll bars. It is capable of providing good wheel grip in off-road conditions and when driving on the highway.
Octa is tested on snowy and icy roads in Sweden, in the desert of Dubai, on the Nürburgring race track and on the rocky terrain of Moab in the USA. The Octa will be equipped with custom Brembo brake calipers.
Land Rover Defender Octa will be released later this year.