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Land Rover Defender Octa loses 93bhp, but it’s not all bad news

New emissions regulations have hit the top-spec Land Rover Defender Octa

Land Rover has revealed details of its 2027 Defender Octa, introducing new colour and trim options, plus one major change to its powertrain. Priced from £147,245 in standard trim or £157,245 in top-spec Octa Black form, the updated model is available to order now, with deliveries kicking off in the Autumn. 

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The major change is that the new Land Rover Defender Octa features a chunky 93bhp reduction over the previous 2026 model due to the need to comply with Euro 6b emissions regulations. Peak power is now rated at 532bhp, but torque remains at 750Nm and the 0-62mph time has only grown slightly to 4.2 seconds, 0.2 seconds more than before.

The engine itself now features a mild-hybrid system to help streamline the engine’s low-speed running, and there have been changes to the exhaust system, too. However, Land Rover says the latter of these two upgrades actually improves the sound from the BMW-sourced V8, making it more engaging. 

As well as the technical changes, Land Rover has expanded the exterior colour options. New to the range is a matte-finished Patagonia White, plus the option of Woolston Green borrowed from the standard Land Rover Defender range. 

In addition, the Octa Black can now be specified with the chopped carbon exterior package for the first time, and there’s a new gloss protective film option across all colours. This features ‘self-healing’ technology, which will repair micro-scratches over time as well as give more robust protection against minor bumps and scrapes.

The new 2027 Defender Octa will be on show for the first time at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it’ll join the wider Defender range, which has picked up its own set of upgrades at the same time.

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News editor

News editor at Auto Express, Jordan joined the team after six years at evo magazine where he specialised in news and reviews of cars at the high performance end of the car market. 

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