Land Rover Defender Octa

FIRST DRIVE V8 Defender Octa is an environmentalist's nightmare, but it's the most capable Land Rover by far

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ON THE ROAD

Defender has a 626bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under its bonnet, and the various chassis upgrades allow you to make the most of it is palpable. Even before you press the starter button it feels like a special car to be inside, with supreme all-round vision, mainly because you sit so high and can see over most other vehicles. The rear-view mirror, on the other hand, will come as a shock, because the view it provides is that of a camera, not a mirror reflection; most of the rear screen is covered in a great big spare tyre.

Thumb the starter button and the M5-derived V8 doesn't explode into life with a burst of wild revs but, instead, just starts, simple as that. It's quiet enough not to wake the neighbours - if indeed you have neighbours as an Octa owner. There are just three main drive modes to choose from; Comfort All Terrain (which is the default setting), Dynamic and Octa.