High-performance Land Rover Defender Octa heading for SA

The new Defender Octa, a high-performance version of the all-terrain Land Rover, will be unveiled on July 3.

Prospective clients and viewers are invited to register for one of seven private Defender Elements events that will be held in the UK, Germany, Italy, the US, Dubai and Japan.

The preview events offer privileged and early access to what the company describes as the toughest, most capable and most luxurious Defender yet.

The curated events will showcase the innovations and capabilities of the Defender Octa on- and off-road, while prospective clients can use these events to configure the car to their tastes using the various high-end materials and styles. 

The Defender Octa’s defining tribute is the twin-turbo mild-hybrid petrol V8 motor and a new hydraulic interlinked 6D Dynamics air suspension. The company is keeping dead quiet on the specifics of the eight-cylinder motor, but says the suspension will give an unparalleled breadth of capability, comfort and composure, on and off the road.

Another expected highlight is the new encircled diamond motif inspired by the octahedron shape of a cut gemstone, hence the name Defender Octa. It symbolises the flagship Defender model and features as a design motif on a number of interior and exterior components, including as a gloss black diamond within a machined and sandblasted titanium disc on the graphic panels.

Defender Octa pre-production testing took it over a range of terrain and various conditions over the past three years, spanning high-performance handling and durability at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, rally stages in France, ice in Sweden, deserts in Dubai and the Moab rock crawls in Utah, the US. 

Land Rover SA has confirmed that a limited number of the cars will be available locally, though the price is still to be announced.