Land Rover has conducted more than 13,960 additional tests for the Defender Octa, on top of the standard Defender testing regime.
Land Rover is set to debut a new most powerful version of its off-road SUV, the Defender Octa. The top-of-the-line 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo mild-hybrid powerhouse sourced from BMW will be tuned to maximum potential for the Defender Octa. For the record, the Defender will be the first model in the brand’s line-up to wear the Octa badge and this terminology will likely be followed in other JLR cars as well.
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Land Rover Defender Octa: What We Know
Earlier it was speculated that the top-spec Defender would get the SVX branding, however, Land Rover’s announcement of the Defender Octa cleared the air. The global debut of the Defender Octa is scheduled for 3rd July and the production will be limited to 1000 units for the initial year worldwide.
Talking about the extensive testing, the super-SUV has been punished for three years of performance and durability testing, spanning race tracks, rally stages and rock crawls. Defender OCTA engineers have conducted more than 13,960 additional tests, on top of the standard Defender testing regime, spanning high-performance handling and durability at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, wet asphalt at Ladoux in France, ice in Sweden, arduous rally raid stages at Lastours in France, sand deserts in Dubai, plus Moab rock crawls in Utah, USA. Defender OCTA has also conquered every extreme trail at JLR’s legendary Eastnor test facility in the UK.
In terms of styling, the SUV will sport its unique traits and stand out from the standard Defender, both on the inside and outside. Furthermore, the powertrain and suspension will tuned for on-road and off-road prowess. The latest images revealed by Land Rover also highlight the Brembo brakes stamped with the exclusive Octa logo.