The made landfall in India last month with a starting price of Rs 2.59 crore (ex-showroom), while the limited-run . It is not just the most powerful and extreme Defender ever built but also the most expensive. In fact, it costs a hefty Rs 1.07 crore more than the Defender V8, previously the priciest variant at Rs 1.52 crore. But make no mistake: this isn’t just another cosmetic special or a new trim line with a catchy name. The Octa has been thoroughly re-engineered from the ground up.

The familiar supercharged 5.0-litre V8 has been swapped for the BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 paired with mild-hybrid tech, which has also been used by Range Rover. It produces a colossal 635hp and a maximum 800Nm of torque – figures that place it squarely in the realm of high-performance SUVs. Land Rover claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100kph in just 4 seconds.

We’ve , but how does it fare in the ‘wilds’ of India? This is a very different kind of jungle. One where deep potholes can swallow a wheel, monsoon-induced craters appear overnight thanks to shoddy roadwork, and unmarked speed breakers can launch you skyward. Axle-twisting ruts left behind by overloaded trucks and the unpredictability of two-wheelers weaving through traffic only add to the madness.

In conditions like these, what you need most is ground clearance, and the Octa has that in abundance. With a towering 323mm of clearance in its highest setting, this brute can crawl over almost anything. A class-leading water-wading depth of 1 metre means you won’t think twice about driving through a flooded Mumbai street in peak monsoon.

Height is the Octa’s most dramatic dimension. It stands 28mm taller and 68mm wider than a standard Defender 110, its bulging arches stretched to accommodate serious rubber. In South Africa, we tested it with aggressive off-road tyres; our India-spec test vehicle, however, had equally chunky BF Goodrich Trail-Terrain rubber. These 275/60 R20 tyres form a strong line of defence against bad roads, with ultra-tall sidewalls and tough construction that shrugs off sharp edges and potholes.

This is the Defender dialled up to eleven. The Octa gets a unique grille, reinforced bumpers, a solid metal bash plate and four exhaust pipes poking out the rear. Even the traditional Land Rover badge gives way to a geometric Octa logo – a nod to the octahedron, the shape of a diamond and a symbol of strength.

The Edition One, finished in a stunning Faroe Green and loaded with every optional extra, is for those who want true exclusivity. Naturally, that sort of statement doesn’t come cheap – Rs 2.79 crore, to be exact.

When you want to enter the cabin, that added height does have a drawback. Even with the air suspension dropped to its lowest setting, the cabin is still a climb. The grab handle on the dashboard, rather than the A-pillar, doesn’t offer ideal leverage either. But once you’re inside, the commanding driving position and panoramic visibility make you feel like you own the road.

Access to the rear seat is a bit easier thanks to a well-placed handle, but elderly passengers – or anyone in a saree – will still struggle with the ingress and egress. The back seat is high-set, generously cushioned and very comfortable, with good space even for three abreast. Open the side-hinged tailgate, spare wheel and all, and there’s a generous luggage area that completes the Octa’s family credentials.

Inside, the Octa retains the Defender’s signature blend of ruggedness and refinement – but with a sporty twist. The 14-way adjustable front sport seats are upholstered in a mix of leather and Ultra fabric, a tough, lightweight, weather-resistant material that shrugs off heat, sweat, dust and monsoon muck. So, yes, you can climb in soaking wet with a muddy dog and not worry. But let’s be honest; in India, most Octa owners won’t stray far from the tarmac or risk dirtying their designer loafers.

The Khaki-Ebony theme in the Edition One, contrasted with carbon-fibre accents and unique upholstery patterns, sets it apart from the standard Defender cabin. Octa-specific touches include new display graphics, performance menus and a dedicated ‘Octa’ mode button on the steering wheel.

Tech-wise, the Octa runs the latest generation of JLR’s infotainment system – slick, intuitive and enriched with drive-specific features. Crucially, Land Rover hasn’t sacrificed usability for form. Important controls, like those for the HVAC system, are still managed via physical dials and buttons, not buried in menus.

Driving something that costs north of Rs 3 crore through Mumbai’s chaotic traffic should be nerve-racking, but the Defender Octa flips that script. Its sheer presence parts traffic like Moses did the Red Sea. Smaller vehicles keep their distance, and that, in itself, reduces stress.

You sit high, with excellent all-round visibility, and with 750Nm of torque at your command, overtakes are effortless (the maximum torque is 800Nm in the Dynamic launch mode). The Octa rides beautifully over Mumbai’s patchy roads – firm but never harsh. Unlike traditional ladder-frame off-roaders like the  or , the Octa doesn’t toss you around or feel unwieldy.

On the newly opened , Mumbai’s 22-km trans-harbour sea link, the Octa finally stretches its legs. Floor the throttle, and the 4.4-litre V8 responds with a refined snarl piped through the quad exhausts. It’s not as loud or dramatic as the outgoing supercharged V8 or AMG’s thunderous G63, but it is potent.

We timed a 0-100kph sprint in 4.7 seconds, slightly off the claimed time but still blisteringly quick for a 2.5-tonne SUV. What’s more impressive is how flat and composed the Octa feels at speed. There’s little roll or pitch, and the body control is astonishing for something this tall.

On the sinuous Lonavala Ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the Octa corners with confidence; the quick and accurate steering lets you change direction confidently. However, you do feel the mass and height when quickly transitioning through a series of corners, and the tall all-terrain tyres blunt the steering response. The thing is that the Octa goads you to push it hard, to drive fast, and at high speeds, you might spot potholes too late. But instead of swerving to avoid them, the Octa, without flinching, can just drive through them as if they don’t exist.

The Octa’s real ace is its trick new suspension. Called 6D Dynamics, this advanced setup uses hydraulically linked dampers in place of traditional anti-roll bars, allowing it to control pitch and roll in real time.

On Indian roads, it’s a revelation. Over rough patches, potholes and speed breakers, the Octa doesn’t bounce, lurch or feel unsettled like a typical tall SUV. It isn’t as plush as a Range Rover, which cocoons you from the outside world, but it strikes a near-perfect balance between feedback and comfort. You feel the road beneath you – but you don’t suffer it.

We peel off the highway past Lonavala, heading towards Nanoli. This is rural Maharashtra, where the roads are narrow, the tarmac is patchy, and life slows down. Well, not quite. The Octa seems to thrive in these backwaters. You sit high, steering around goats, cyclists and the occasional overambitious biker, and that sense of control never fades. On these narrow roads, it is common to drop the inside two wheels off the road and onto the earthen shoulders to give way to oncoming traffic. In the Octa, you can do that without slowing down. Nothing – absolutely nothing – catches the Octa out. If anything, the Octa makes rural motoring feel almost luxurious.

We reach the still-under-construction Nanoli Speedway. It’s a mud-laced ribbon of what will soon be a world-class racetrack. But for now, it’s a gravel racetrack, a loose surface for some high-speed antics. This is the time to switch to Octa mode and switch off the traction control. The Octa is shockingly easy to drift and slide like a rally car. The sense of control and the confidence you get flicking this massive SUV around the 3km dirt track make you feel like a Dakar champion. You finish the session not sweaty and tired but with the cooled seats on and your favourite music playing.

Unsurprisingly, Land Rover is gunning squarely for the Mercedes-AMG G 63 with the Rs 2.59 crore-2.79 crore Octa. The G 63, with its powerful and glorious-sounding V8, might still have more street cred and an irresistible charm that has won it a legion of fans, but it’s nowhere near as capable or rounded a car as the Octa, which does practically everything better.

Other performance SUVs, such as the or , exist, but they’re far more road-biased and can’t take a serious bashing – especially with their low-profile tyres. That’s why the Octa stands in a league of its own: equally at ease navigating the chaotic sprawl of Mumbai, drifting sideways down a gravel road, tackling remote Ladakhi tracks, or wading through a metre-deep river. Yes, it’s super expensive, but for those who can afford it, the Octa is luxury with a wild streak – built not just to survive India’s roads but to dominate them.

Land Rover Defender updated with new tech, subtle design tweaks