If the regular Defender is a Labrador – dependable, fun-loving, universally adored – then the Octa Black is a rottweiler that growls when you touch its bowl. This is Land Rover’s most capable Defender yet, now draped head-to-toe in the blackest black they could find, and it’s gloriously unsubtle about what it wants to be: menacing, powerful, and impossible to ignore.
People have been sending their Defenders to the aftermarket for blackout jobs for years. Now Land Rover has decided to save them the hassle. But unlike your mate’s local wrap job, the Octa Black is meticulous. Thirty bits and pieces, from the exhaust silencer to the recovery hooks, have all been finished in either gloss or satin black, layered to feel more like a custom suit than a quick dip in the paint booth. The Narvik Black paint, apparently the “truest black” in the Defender palette, does exactly what it says on the tin: soaks up the light and spits out pure attitude.
And there’s brawn to match the bravado. Under the squared-off bonnet lurks that BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8. It's a 635hp brute that’ll sling this six-thousand-pound fortress from standstill to 60mph in 3.8 seconds. Ludicrous? Yes. Necessary? Not really. Fun? Absolutely.
Defener Octa Black: What's inside?
It’s not all dark arts and brute force though. The interior’s been given the same detail-driven treatment. There’s semi-aniline leather, Kvadrat textile (a first for the Defender), a Cross Car Beam powder-coated to match the exterior’s industrial vibe, and chopped carbon fibre because… why not? The Body and Soul Seats will even let you feel your music reverberate through your bones – a gimmick you’ll defend to your mates after you’ve tried it.
There’s something refreshing about the Octa Black’s honesty. It doesn’t pretend to be sensible. You could wade through 39 inches of icy water with it, or you could just park it outside your favourite overpriced restaurant and know you’ve arrived. Either way, subtlety is overrated – and in Land Rover’s hands, darkness has never looked so good. Just expect to pay well north of $170k for the privilege. After all, villainy doesn’t come cheap.
Next up: Check out these classic Landies from Phoenix Restorations.
