Skip advert
Advertisement

New Land Rover Defender Octa Black will be hard to spot in the dark

The “all-black interpretation” of Defender flagship has no fewer than 30 exterior elements finished in gloss or satin black

Hot on the heels of the Range Rover Sport SV Black, comes a new flagship Land Rover Defender. The creatively named Land Rover Defender Octa Black features no fewer than 30 pieces of exterior trim finished in either gloss or satin black, with a similarly-dark finish applied to the cabin. As with the existing Octa, the Black is fitted with the firm’s most powerful twin-turbo V8 engine, producing 626bhp.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Land Rover refers to the new model as an “all-black interpretation of the unstoppable Defender flagship”. Taking those words quite literally, the Defender Octa Black gets Narvik Black paint which, as on other models in the 4x4 range, can be wrapped in a Matte Protective Film for an additional charge.

Elsewhere, there’s a choice of 20 or 22-inch wheels, both in black, while the black badges and brake calipers feature silver script. You’ll find satin black powder-coated scuff plates and gloss-black quad exhaust tips, and you can even choose to paint your car’s towing eye or towbar in, you guessed it, black.

Inside, the ‘Performance Seats’ are finished in Ebony Semi-Aniline Leather with “unique perforation patterns” and “new stitching detail” on the backrests. Bizarrely, the seat backs and armrest hinges are finished in Carpathian Grey, rather than black.

On the dashboard, the car’s cross beam gets a satin-black powder coat, while owners can specify chopped carbon-fibre trim elements, in what Land Rover calls the “epitome of tough luxury”.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Mark Cameron, managing director for the Defender brand said: “We know our clients love giving their Defenders all-black finishes, so our designers have applied this principle to every possible surface – inside and out – to create the ultimate tough luxury Defender Octa.”

This can be considered a purely cosmetic upgrade; the Octa Black is unchanged under the metal from the standard range-topper – meaning a 626bhp twin-turbo, mild-hybrid V8 and a dedicated Octa drive mode. Prices from the Octa Black start from £158,045 – £10k more than the existing Octa.

All cars feature a 13.1-inch infotainment system and 15-speaker, 700-watt Meridian stereo with Body and Soul Seats (BASS) – linking neatly with Defender’s support of the 41-date Oasis global tour, which kicks off today (4 July).

In other news, the Defender Octa is now offered in two new colours: Sargasso Blue and Borasco Grey. A Patagonia White Matte Wrap will be available towards the end of the year.

Configure your perfect Land Rover Defender 110 through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Land Rover Defender 110 from stock or top prices on used Land Rover Defender 110 models...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Richard Ingram deputy editor Auto Express
Deputy editor

Richard has been part of the team for over a decade. During this time he has covered a huge amount of news and reviews for Auto Express, as well as being the face of Carbuyer and DrivingElectric on Youtube. In his current role as deputy editor, he is now responsible for keeping our content flowing and managing our team of talented writers.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best luxury SUVs 2026
Best luxury SUVs - header image

Best luxury SUVs 2026

Luxury SUVs combine the sophistication of a luxury car with the sheer practicality of an SUV. Here’s our pick of the current crop
Best cars & vans
7 Apr 2026
Ultimate Land Rover Defender model range and specs guide: the key options to pick and avoid
Land Rover Defender header

Ultimate Land Rover Defender model range and specs guide: the key options to pick and avoid

The Land Rover Defender is a jack of all trades and master of most. So which should you choose?
Features
5 Apr 2026
Land Rover Defender review
Land Rover Defender 110 Trophy Edition - front tracking

Land Rover Defender review

Land Rover’s reborn Defender has been a sales hit since it arrived, and subtle revisions haven’t done this 4x4 any harm at all
In-depth reviews
23 Mar 2026
New Land Rover Defender Sport: baby SUV will be boxy and electric
New baby Land Rover Defender render - watermarked

New Land Rover Defender Sport: baby SUV will be boxy and electric

The new Land Rover Defender Sport will sit below the existing Defender in both size and price, and our exclusive image previews how it could look
News
23 Feb 2026

Most Popular

New Toyota Yaris: next-gen supermini to embrace hybrid and EV power
Toyota Yaris - front (watermarked)

New Toyota Yaris: next-gen supermini to embrace hybrid and EV power

The new Toyota Yaris will arrive by 2028, and our exclusive images preview how it could look
News
5 May 2026
New Freelander 8: huge SUV is coming to the UK, just don’t call it a Land Rover
Freelander 8 - front

New Freelander 8: huge SUV is coming to the UK, just don’t call it a Land Rover

We get the scoop about a UK sales confirmation of the new joint-venture between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover
News
28 Apr 2026
New Skoda Epiq interior sketches lay a path to the big reveal
Skoda Epic interior

New Skoda Epiq interior sketches lay a path to the big reveal

Skoda releases images of the Epiq interior as the build up begins to the full reveal on May 19th 2026.
News
4 May 2026

Find a car with the experts