Header: Courtesy of Land Rover
The new Defender OCTA Black has brought style into the automotive markets by proving that there’s no such thing as “X and Y is the new black”. Black is timeless and a statement on its own. The new Defender got an all-black treatment across its exterior components, using Narvik Black as the base colour. Plus, to cater to all, the car allows customers to choose their favourite finish: gloss or matte, heads will turn either way.
Black on black
The front undershield and rear scuff plates are finished in a satin black powder coat, with exposed recovery eyes also in the same finish to keep the underbody palette consistent. A gloss black tow eye cover at the front, quad exhaust tips at the rear in the same glossy look, and a black Land Rover grille oval with darkened silver script extend the treatment to visible hardware. Underbody elements such as the exhaust silencer cover, centre box, and the optional electrically deployable towbar are finished in either gloss or satin black to align with the exterior brief.
Wheel options include 20-inch forged wheels or 22-inch gloss black wheels, both with black centre caps and Shadow Atlas Defender script to keep a low contrast between the branding and the darker surfaces. Gloss black brake callipers were added in Sentient Silver script, creating a fine-grained variation that doesn’t take any spotlight.
And inside too
Inside, ebony semi-aniline leather combined with Kvadrat was introduced to Defender for the first time, having been applied to the seats to provide a soft and tactile touch that is both durable and comfortable. The seats feature unique perforation patterns and new stitching on the backrests, while the seat backs and armrest hinges in Carpathian grey contrast with the dominant black.
Across the dashboard, the cross-car beam in a satin black powder coat mirrors the exterior treatments, with customers being able to choose a chopped carbon fibre finish if they want a visibly engineered surface rather than a uniform coating. The result is a cabin where finishes are used as a system, with colour, texture, and reflectivity used to reduce contrast while preserving functionality.
Technicalities
The underlying OCTA specifications remain unchanged, combining a 635 PS 4.4-litre twin-turbo mild-hybrid V8 with 6D Dynamics suspension and an OCTA Mode intended for performance off-road use. Body and Soul Seats allow people in the front seats to feel the music as well as hear it, using audio signals from the 700 W, 15-speaker Meridian Surround Sound System (this vibro-acoustic technology was developed with SUBPAC and uses an AI-optimising software).
Recent updates to the wider Defender line-up appear here too, including a new headlight design with an updated graphic and flush rear lights with smoked lenses for a cleaner read of the body surfaces. A 13.1-inch touchscreen sits at the centre of the cabin to handle infotainment control with a more immediate interface.
Defender OCTA Black joins the standard Defender OCTA, which now features Sargasso Blue and Borasco Grey in addition to the existing Charente Grey and Petra Copper colourways. A Patagonia White Matte Wrap is planned to be available from late 2025.
