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With 635PS, Dakar-inspired engineering and a £147,000 price tag, the Defender OCTA is built for extremes – but does any of that make sense on urban streets?

What is the Land Rover Defender OCTA and why is it gaining so much traction?

Land Rover has a reputation for totally blinging out some of its models and often invites celebrities to add their artistic flair and influence with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Bear Grylls and Anthony Joshua all putting their personal stamp on vehicles in the past.

And now we get the Land Rover Defender OCTA, a model that brings pace and performance to the off-road environment.

At launch, there was a pricier OCTA Edition One, costing £160,000 but the limited numbers were snapped up in record time. So, now we have the ‘basic’ car that’s an absolute steal at £147,245. But that’s before options are factored in, which can add up to the price of a luxury round-the-world cruise for all the family.

What makes this Land Rover Defender so expensive?

Put simply, power. This 4.4-litre model with a V8 engine boasts 635PS of oomph along with 730Nm of torque. That means it can hit 62mph from a standing start in a ridiculously quick 4.0 seconds and onto a top speed of 155mph. That’s not too shabby for a vehicle that can tow a house, climb a mountain and wade through flowing streams … for fun.

The engine is BMW-sourced and there is rally-raid suspension. In fact, this ‘city car’ has the same body shell and powertrain as the Dakar D7X-R, so Land Rover engineers have thrown all their engineering know-how at this Land Rover Defender.

It has a sense of invincibility about it thanks to its muscular, rugged styling (if it was a human, it would be a sharp-dressed Royal Marine) and the off-roading facts and figures speak for themselves meaning pootling around town in stop, start city traffic feels like a waste of its talent. It should be living its best life tackling mountain climbs not staring at Tower Hill or clambering over deep, boggy fens not sat at lights in Fenchurch Street. It just needs to show off its full potential and that won’t happen in a city.

Surely there must be some positives

How about the running costs? Sadly, no they are a combined 21.4mpg. The Land Rover Defender is very large too, so parking will also be a chore. Plus, the side-hinged rear door may look great but it needs plenty of space behind in order to safely open.

There are some snippets of hope though. It can tow a horsebox, which is handy for the tally-ho brigade. The brilliant air suspension will make mincemeat of potholes and speed bumps, plus imagine the street cred on the school run when you rock up at the gates in the Defender OCTA.

What will the neighbours think if I introduce the new Land Rover Defender OCTA to their leafy neighbourhood?

If you visit the more upmarket areas of London such as Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf and Chelsea, the Defender OCTA will fit in perfectly alongside all the other ‘statement’ cars on show. After all, the Range Rover, along with other luxurious 4×4 have the ‘Chelsea Tractor’ nickname, so its menacing sibling will have strong bragging rights too.
Sadly, owners won’t get much chance to show off the unique OCTA drive setting though as this comes into force away from the Tarmac with performance-related driving on rougher terrain, plus a louder exhaust soundtrack as an accompaniment too.

What else do I need to know about the Defender OCTA?

With its upper-case letters, you would think ‘OCTA’ was an acronym for something really smart like ‘Optimised Capability for Terrain Adventure’. However, the title actually takes its inspiration from the octahedral shape of a diamond. That’s why there are so many diamond-shaped features throughout the vehicle, although we prefer our acronym.

The Dynamic drive mode is brilliant on fast-paced country lanes and there are steering wheel paddles to change gears manually for added driver engagement. Theses are just two reasons why venturing away from the built-up city streets in the Defender OCTA can be so rewarding.

And there are Green Laning opportunities not too far from London too so you can test out some of this vehicle’s awesome off-roading potential without risking any scratches, dings or bumps, but make sure you are in your comfort zone or with an experienced 4×4 driver.

What are the key alternatives to the Defender OCTA?

What else should you consider for a city vehicle that’s just as potent, expensive and, possibly, as inappropriate?

If your heart is set on a powerhouse of a vehicle that’s built ready for Armageddon, but offers a comfy city existence, then also consider the Mercedes-AMG 63, Range Rover Sport SV or even the standard Defender V8.

So, what’s the verdict then? Will a Defender OCTA fit into a busy urban lifestyle?

In all honesty, anyone buying the Defender OCTA for a life in the city is doing it for one reason – to stand out. It’s a complete statement car that will be expensive to run, completely unpractical to park and manoeuvrability isn’t exactly a forte either. That said; there are very few places where this model’s full firepower can really be explored to the full in the UK, and who in their right mind will spend almost £150k on a vehicle and then head straight to the roughest, toughest off-road terrain? I suppose if the Thames bursts its banks or potholes grew to crater-like proportions, you’ll have no problems getting around, but that aside the car is unlikely to break sweat in the Big Smoke.

So, in answer to the question, is the Defender OCTA a good city vehicle, it’s a resounding ‘no’ from London, Madrid and Rome, a ‘non’ from Paris and ‘nein’ from Berlin. Pretty decisive evidence we think.