635 HP Land Rover Defender coming to PH in 2025

Remember when Land Rover unleashed its most powerful Defender yet earlier this year? Called the Defender OCTA, this 4x4 SUV packs a BMW-derived twin-turbo V8 that’s more powerful than Land Rover’s 5.0L supercharged V8.

When it debuted last July, Land Rover said Europe would get first dibs on the 2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA. So when can we expect the powerful SUV to arrive in the Philippines? Well, we have some good news.

Speaking with Jaguar Land Rover Philippines boss Chris Ward during a drive, the executive shared that the Defender OCTA is set to debut soon in the country. In fact, Ward mentioned that we can expect the twin-turbo V8-powered SUV to make its Philippine debut around March - April 2025. That means it will likely arrive in either Q1 or Q2 next year.

The official specifications are not yet available. However, we won’t be surprised if it will be similar to what Europe gets. That means it will get the fire-breathing 4.4L twin-turbo V8 that cranks out 635 PS and 750 Nm of torque. Land Rover says the engine can generate up to 800 Nm of pull in Dynamic Launch mode.

Mated to a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox, the Defender OCTA can go from 0 to 100 km/h in a blistering 4 seconds. It also has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h, which is impressive given the vehicle’s huge size.

Other exclusive goodies available in the 2025 Defender OCTA include 33-inch Goodyear Advanced all-terrain tires, a four-exit active exhaust system, uprated front disc brakes with Brembo calipers, a faster steering ratio for better handling, and longer (and tougher) suspension wishbones to name a few.

With the 2025 Defender OCTA on its way, interested customers might already be lining up to make a reservation.