“When James Bond Retires, This Is His Golf Cart.”
1983: The year Michael Jackson moonwalked, seat belts were optional, and the Land Rover Defender was born — a boxy, muddy miracle that looked like it could survive the end of civilization (and probably did). Fast forward to 2025, and what we have is not just a Defender. It’s the Defender Octa — a diamond-tough luxury SUV that’s been dipped in class, buffed with horsepower, and polished until even Buckingham Palace’s guards nod approvingly.
The Name’s Octa. Defender Octa.
Derived from the octagon (symbol of strength and symmetry) and the diamond (symbol of money and your EMI pain), the Octa is not just a Defender—it’s a Defender in a tuxedo, sipping Earl Grey on a mountain ledge.
This particular one you see here is the Edition One, the top-dog, full-fat variant, priced at a neat ₹2.79 crore (ex-showroom). That’s right — the same amount could buy you a villa in Gwalior or this SUV that could probably drive over the villa.
Looks: Chopped Carbon & Charm
From the front, it looks like it could politely ask you to move your car — and if you don’t, it’ll just drive over it quietly. The grille is glossy black, the headlights are Matrix LED with more intelligence than some influencers, and the Chopped Carbon Fibre exterior pack looks like Batman’s weekend attire.
Faroe Green is the colour here — somewhere between army fatigue and posh khaki. You also get Bronze, White, Red, and others if you’re the type who likes their apocalypse vehicles colour-coordinated.
And because it’s a Defender, the spare wheel proudly hangs on the tailgate, like a rugged badge of honour.
Powertrain: The Gentleman’s Monster
Under the bonnet (which you’ll need a ladder to open) lies BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 — yes, that same S68 engine that powers the Range Rover, BMW XM, and the occasional German ego.
It produces 626 horsepower and 750 Nm of torque, which means it can do 0–100 km/h in 3.8 seconds.
To put that in perspective: this 2.5-tonne block of British luxury accelerates faster than your neighbour’s ego after buying a Creta N Line.
Top speed? 210 km/h — limited, because physics.
Fuel economy? A polite 7 km/l — because power comes at the cost of your wallet’s tears.
Off-Road: Lord of the Rocks
This isn’t just luxury on wheels; it’s a rolling geology experiment.
The 6D Dynamics air suspension with hydraulic dampers lets you glide over rocks like a ballerina with steel boots.
The Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring keeps you glued in corners, whether it’s a racetrack or a cliff edge in Ladakh.
Wading depth? 1,000 mm. That’s right — while most SUVs panic at a puddle, the Defender Octa asks, “Is that all?”
You also get Terrain Response 2, All Terrain Progress Control, and a performance off-road mode with launch control — because apparently, someone wanted to drag race in the desert.
Interior: Fort Knox Meets Five-Star Hotel
Step inside, and you’re greeted by a cockpit that smells like money and ambition.
There’s Chopped Carbon Fibre trim, Ultrafabrics with Semi-Aniline leather, and even rubber flooring because Land Rover knows you’ll spill your artisanal coffee during off-roading.
The 14-way adjustable performance seats have Body & Soul technology — yes, the seats vibrate to music. Imagine “Highway to Hell” massaging your spine while you climb a mountain.
You also get a Meridian 700W 14-speaker sound system, a refrigerator, three-zone climate control, and ClearSight rearview mirror so you can admire the chaos you just left behind.
Tech & Safety: Like a Personal Butler With Sensors
There’s more tech here than a fighter jet:
- 11.4-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen with OTA updates, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Head-up display showing speed, navigation, and terrain data
- ADAS with 3D surround cameras that make parking feel like playing a video game
Safety is, of course, impeccable — 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, Hill Descent Control, Wade Sensing, and so many acronyms that even the Ministry of Transport would be impressed.
Performance Feel: A Mountain Goat in a Suit
On road, it’s absurdly refined — like drinking whiskey with a silk straw. The ZF 8-speed gearbox shifts with British politeness, and the V8 soundtrack alternates between growl and thunder depending on how annoyed you are at traffic.
Off-road, it’s untouchable. In the time it takes you to switch on your traction control, the Octa has already climbed, descended, crossed, and posed for a photo.
It’s equally happy in Monaco traffic or Manali snow — and if a zombie apocalypse happens, you’re already sitting in your new home.
Verdict: The Apex Predator of Civilization
The Defender Octa isn’t just a car. It’s an event — a full-scale assault on the senses. It’s what happens when Land Rover engineers drink too much Earl Grey and decide to make something “a bit mad.”
Sure, it costs as much as a penthouse, but can your penthouse tow 3.5 tonnes, cross rivers, and hit 100 km/h in under four seconds? Exactly.
The Land Rover Defender Octa is the most British way of saying:
“I can go anywhere, do anything, and still arrive fashionably muddy.”
NamasteCar Verdict:
If the regular Defender is a mountain climber, the Octa is a mountain builder.
It’s not just luxury off-roading — it’s luxury off-the-charts.
