BMW-Powered Land Rover Defender OCTA Officially Firing Up Its Engine on July 3

Land Rover has just made the official announcement, adding that its rival to the Ford Bronco Raptor and Mercedes-AMG G 63 has conducted numerous tests in some extreme scenarios. From Germany's Nurburgring, France's Ladoux, and Dubai's desert to the ice and snow at the Arctic Circle and the Moab rock crawls in Utah, USA, the Defender OCTA has conquered them all.

"Defender OCTA will be synonymous with mastering epic adventures in heightened luxury," said the model's Managing Director, Mark Cameron. "That adventure starts with the Defender Elements events. Each venue and experience reflects the iconic Defender DNA in an authentic and original way, and I can't wait to welcome the first clients to begin their Defender OCTA journey with us."

Snapped testing in the open a few times, the Land Rover Defender OCTA boasts flared arches at both ends. Another signature trait of this model is the modified grille. Testers also featured disc-like wheels with a rallying signature, and we hope they make it to the production model, at least as an option, next to other highlights that will further help it differentiate from the lesser variants.

We have yet to see the cockpit in all its glory. Nonetheless, it should feature a pair of bucket seats for the driver and front passenger, backlit treadplates, and likely different load and submenus for the two main screens, the infotainment system and the digital instrument cluster. Land Rover's teaser has also revealed that it will feature an illuminated diamond-shaped symbol on the lower part of the multi-function steering wheel.

You will have to pop the hood open to see the icing on the cake, as it packs a BMW-sourced V8 unit with mild-hybrid technology. The engine has a 4.4-liter displacement and dual turbos and has nothing to do with Jaguar Land Rover's 5.0L supercharged lump. The latter kicks out 518 horsepower (525 ps/386 kW) and puts 461 pound-feet (625 Nm) of torque under the driver's right foot, enabling the 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 5.2 seconds.

The Defender Octa, on the other hand, is expected to steam out 617 brake horsepower. This translates to 626 metric horsepower or 450 kilowatts. The thrust should be rated at 553 pound-feet (750 Nm). If the reports are correct and it turns out to be this punchy, then it will have an almost 100 horsepower (101 ps/75 kW) advantage over the Defender V8 and 93 pound-feet (126 Nm) of torque more.

We reckon the extra oomph should make it some half a second quicker than the Defender V8, which taps out at 150 mph (240 kph). Chances are Land Rover's engineering team responsible for the development of the Defender OCTA will also bump the top speed a bit, so it might do around 155 miles an hour (250 kph) or so.

The extra oomph would be nothing without a re-tuned chassis. As a result, the British company has also checked this box, and the model features a clever suspension. Brembo's uprated brakes are also on deck to keep all that power in check, and in case you forgot, the Defender OCTA can actually powerslide like a madman, which is something that we wouldn't have expected from what is still a potent off-roader with a large ground clearance.

To sum it up, the Defender OCTA will be the most powerful version of the family yet. Despite boasting elevated performance to the point where it can feast on apexes like a high-riding champ, it won't lose its off-roading appeal. Thus, we expect it to be able to conquer some arduous tracks off the beaten path quite easily, especially if equipped with a set of chunky rubber, hopefully, wrapped around those rally-like wheels that we've seen on certain prototypes.

Land Rover will reveal everything about it on July 3, during the official unveiling, and we expect to find out more about the Defender OCTA by then and perhaps to see a few leaked images, too. Subsequently, the model will go on sale worldwide shortly after the premiere, albeit in limited numbers for the first year of production. For instance, less than 100 copies are destined to arrive in Australia, so interested parties must place an order soon if they truly want this vehicle.

It won't be a forbidden fruit in North America, as the Land Rover Defender OCTA will also launch over here, likely for the 2025 model year. The vehicle is already listed as an upcoming product on the brand's official US website, and as we told you above, it will take a swing at the Ford Bronco Raptor and the Mercedes-AMG G 63.