[Defender OCTA Black. Land Rover
The Defender OCTA Black makes a striking first impression. There is not a single part of the vehicle that is not black. The color scheme dominates everything around it.
The vehicle is finished in Narvik Black, the purest black in the Defender color palette. It is a shade that seems to absorb all light. More than 30 additional design elements are also rendered in black, including the oval Land Rover grille badge that is normally green.
The OCTA name comes from “octahedron,” a reference to the eight-sided crystal structure of a diamond.
Land Rover says the name was chosen to convey an image that is both rugged and luxurious, like the diamond, the hardest and most captivating mineral on earth.
[Defender OCTA Black. Land Rover
The car itself carries that all-black elegance and solidity throughout. As befits a vehicle optimized for off-road use, it sits high and feels imposing.
The vehicle measures 5,003 millimeters long, 2,064 millimeters wide and 1,995 millimeters tall, with a wheelbase of 3,023 millimeters. Its ground clearance, the gap between the road surface and the underbody, is 28 millimeters higher than on the standard model.
Out on the road, the presence of the top-of-the-line Defender became clearer. It growled with a deep, booming note at startup, yet the ride was quiet in a way that belied its bulk. It also delivered sharp responsiveness and power, surging forward as soon as the pedal went down.
Built around a 4.4-liter V8 twin-turbo mild hybrid engine, the vehicle produces a maximum 635 horsepower and accelerates from a standstill to 100 kilometers per hour in four seconds.
Large SUVs typically show body roll in corners, but the Defender OCTA maintained a stable feel through turns.
Land Rover said its 6D Dynamics suspension “suppresses roll on the road while delivering extreme wheel articulation off-road.”
[Defender OCTA Black. Land Rover
The Defender OCTA’s real strengths, however, emerge off-road. This test drive was unfortunately confined to public roads.
According to Land Rover, the Defender is designed to wade through water up to 90 centimeters deep, and the Defender OCTA up to about 1 meter. The vehicle detects water depth, displays it on screen and adjusts controls to protect the engine and intake system.
With an approach angle of 37.5 degrees, it can climb steep inclines, and when one wheel lifts off the ground, the system recognizes this and sends power only to the wheels still gripping the surface to get the vehicle out of trouble.
A dedicated OCTA mode is also fitted, activated by holding a steering wheel button for at least 1.5 seconds. The buttons, paddle shifters and cabin lighting turn an intense red, giving visual form to the dynamic driving experience. The mode optimizes acceleration, braking and traction control, particularly when driving off-road.
Fuel economy for the Defender OCTA is rated at 6.3 kilometers per liter in the city and 8.1 kilometers per liter on the highway. The price in South Korea is 245.47 million won, or about $178,000.
[Defender OCTA Black. Land Rover