The Defender OCTA's V8 now makes 93 fewer horses than before, at 533 hp.
The detuned BMW engine is coming to Euro-spec models.
Torque remains unchanged, but the OCTA is now slower than before.
Land Rover has no choice but to tame the Defender OCTA’s engine to comply with tougher emissions regulations. In Europe and a few other markets, the BMW-sourced engine is losing significant power. Previously, the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 produced a stout 626 hp, but that’s sadly no longer the case. Engineers have dialed back the Bavarian eight-cylinder by 93 hp, reducing output to 533 hp.
Predictably, performance has suffered. The sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) now takes 4.4 seconds, making it 0.4 seconds slower than before. There is a silver lining, however. The Defender OCTA continues to produce 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque, so only horsepower has taken a hit to meet the Euro 6e-bis emissions standard. Although it has less punch than before, the mild-hybrid V8 now delivers a deeper note after Land Rover’s engineers reworked the exhaust for a meaner soundtrack.
