2025 Defender Octa Spotted: Hardcore SUVs Hit the Ring

JLR launched a V-8-powered version of its latest Defender in 2022, but a more hardcore V-8 grade is still planned for the rugged SUV.

It was confirmed by JLR in March as the Defender Octa, and a new prototype has been spotted testing heavily at the Nürburgring. The Octa is expected to debut later this year and will likely appear as a 2025 model when it lands in the U.S.

All JLR has said about the car is that it will have a twin-turbo V8 engine and a version of the company's 6D Dynamics Suspension . Both of these features are found in the Range Rover Sport SV, which produces 626 hp from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 sourced from BMW.

6D Dynamics Suspension stands for a combination of hydraulically linked dampers, height-adjustable air springs, and pitch control; according to JLR, this setup is designed to keep the vehicle nearly level when cornering hard or driving over rough roads. The car is designed to keep the body nearly level during hard cornering and rough roads, according to JLR. As seen in the spy footage, it performed admirably in a recent test at the Ring.

The prototype reveals many more details. These include flared wheel arches, raised suspension, mud flaps, and BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. The tires are wrapped around 20-inch wheels, sized 275/60 front and rear.

To add to those wondering about the name, it is supposed to refer to some sort of geometric rhombus known as an octahedron. jlr believes that the Defender Octa is the toughest natural substance on earth. It is likely that JLR is trying to convey that the Defender Octa embodies the resilience of the toughest natural substance on earth, the diamond. A teaser photo released with last month's confirmation showed a small diamond logo on the vehicle.

JLR's Special Vehicle Operations was about to unveil a similar hardcore Discovery SVX a few years ago. It would have been powered by a V-8 engine and would have been upgraded for off-road use. It was to establish a new off-road range for SVO, similar to the division's circuit-focused SVR series and the ultra-luxury SVAutobiography series. Although the Discovery SVX was ultimately cancelled, JLR did not rule out the possibility of such a car in the future.