Many people do not know or believe that the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a sensational off-roader. But to let the German off-roader drive the German version of the Charleston over the most unlikely terrain, you have to buy the non-AMG version, Mercedes by splitting the line-up into hardcore off-roaders and hardcore speedsters. Landrover a similar break with different model lines was achieved. On the way to Rio of Payment? Try a Defender. Heading to The Plaza? Try a Range Rover Sport SV. The 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 Octa injects a ton of that Range Sport into the expedition vehicle to create one of the best combinations of urban speed and trail superiority an OEM can offer.
It starts with the engine, the BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, 626 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque which is also used in various versions Range Rover models. It breathes in through a larger grille and exhales through a new quad exhaust that pokes out of a reshaped rear bumper. This mill is a big step up from the discontinued Defender 110 V8, powered by JLR’s veteran supercharged 5.0-liter V8 making 518 hp and 461 lb-ft. When the Octa is specified with 22-inch wheels wrapped in racing tires, Land Rover says it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The range of wheel choices from 20 to 22 inches allows room for Brembo brake packages with larger, 15.7-inch brake rotors at the front.
There’s also an Octa driving mode that enables launch control on soft surfaces, increasing torque to 590 lb-ft., to go along with the Comfort and Dynamic modes on the road and the Terrain Response system. This isn’t about hunting down the wilderness though, Land Rover also advises that the Octa is “not meant” to jump.
Land Rover also borrowed what it calls the 6D suspension from the Range Rover Sport SV, the same type of hydraulic setup that connects the dampers at all four corners, controlling roll without the need for a traditional roll bar. Quicker steering improves responses everywhere.
To boost the Defender’s back-of-beyond capability, engineers designed longer, sturdier control arms that add 1.1 inches of ground clearance and make the car 2.7 inches wider than the standard Defender 110 — note the sidelights and fender flares to accommodate the car’s 81.3-inch width. Suspension articulation gains a whopping 5.5 inches, peak ground clearance rises to 12.6 inches, and wading depth increases 3.9 inches to 39.4 inches. New front and rear bumper moldings increase the approach angle by 2.5 degrees to 40 degrees, the departure angle is two degrees better at 42 degrees, and the breakover angle shrinks the circle by another 1.1 ticks to 29 degrees.
In the Octa’s most hardcore off-road form, 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 33-inch tyres, the largest ever offered on a factory Land Rover. Jamal Hameedi, Land Rover’s head of special vehicles, told Coach“Normally an off-roader would say, ‘Oh, I want an 18-inch wheel with a tall sidewall for puncture resistance.’ But then that ruins your handling and your road handling, and you can’t put good brakes on it.’ So we said, ‘No, we need good handling and road handling, lots of lateral stiffness, big brakes for the power, and puncture resistance. But nobody has all that. So we had to reinvent a tire from scratch.’ That tire is a Goodyear Wrestler with a new tread pattern specifically for the Octa. This setup limits the top speed to 99 mph, and buyers can’t go any larger without making major changes, Land Rover says 35-inch tires worsen steering performance.
An intermediate step in the tire and wheel package increases the top speed to 209 km/h.
The Octa in the name refers to the octahedral shape of a cut diamond and the diamond’s known strength. The connection is indicated around the truck with a shiny black diamond image on a titanium disk.
The Octa Edition One is available in Faroe Green with chopped carbon trim and exclusive 20-inch forged wheels on those new Goodyears. Standard versions can choose from those colourplus Carpathian Grey, Charente Grey and Petra Copper. All with a contrasting black roof and tailgate plus to tow hooks in Phosphor Bronze. Inside, the five-seat cabin boasts new performance seats with integrated headrests in the front row, all seats upholstered in leather or textiles from Kvadrat and Ultrafabrics. The standard interior is finished in Burnt Sienna leather with contrasting Ebony textiles and a console refrigerator. The Edition One cabin is available in two-tone Khaki and Ebony Ultrafabric.
Land Rover says it will produce just 4,000 units for global consumption for the 2025 model year, with around 300 expected to make their way here. The standard Octa starts at $153,475, with the Octa Edition One at $169,275. You can bet the production cap won’t end the run, with the 2026 model year still waiting to get its allotment and a Defender 90 version rumors. Orders are now open, the truck will debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed This month it will be released.