The Classic Defender V8: Old school looks, Octa attitude
Let’s be honest: if you already own a classic Defender 90 or 110, chances are the new Defender Octa might feel a touch too modern for your taste.
I get it. Part of the charm of the old Defender is its raw simplicity. Thankfully, Land Rover Classic seems to understand that too. The brand’s official restoration and customisation arm can now build you a Classic Defender V8 that mirrors any colour and trim combination from the current Octa.
Available in 110 Station Wagon, 90 Station Wagon or 90 Soft Top form, Land Rover Classic has broadened the colour options with five fresh exterior shades. We’re talking proper colours that you’d stop to take notice of. These include the Octa-exclusive Petra Copper, Faroe Green and Sargasso Blue, plus Narvik Black, inspired by the Octa Black vibe, and Patagonia White. The existing Borasco Grey, Carpathian Grey and Charente Grey remain on the menu for Classic Defender V8 clients.
And make no mistake, this isn’t a quick respray job. Each Classic Defender V8 spends around 300 hours in the paint shop alone, from the meticulous prep work to colour-matching and that final, mirror-like polish. You can choose a gloss finish or a specially curated satin sheen that perfectly aligns with the Octa’s optional protective film.
The interior hasn’t been left behind either. Land Rover Classic has gone all-in to echo the Octa’s vibe. Inside, you now have the option of lightweight Ultrafabrics PU in Khaki Green, Light Cloud, or Lunar. These can be paired with Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather or with Ebony leather.
And if you really want to take it up a notch, there’s the option of hand-trimmed heated Recaro sports seats. Better still, customers can sit down with Land Rover Classic’s design team to replicate the Octa’s interior colour placements across the steering wheel, transmission levers, dashboard, headlining and door trims.
For a much more bespoke look, the Classic Defender V8 can be optionally equipped with a gloss black radiator grille.
And here’s the best part: you don’t need to own a Defender Octa to commission a matching Classic Defender V8. Thanks to Land Rover Classic’s Works Bespoke programme, anyone can get in on the action. The brand’s specialist team builds each vehicle to order, starting with a donor Defender from 2012–2016.
The 5.0-litre V8 engine is also upgraded to churn out 298kW, paired with an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission with a sport mode. It doesn’t end there, the suspension has also been tweaked, thanks to the fitment of custom springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, a reworked steering system and uprated brakes.
In the UK, the Classic Defender V8 starts at £190,000, roughly R4.3 million at the current exchange rate. That’s… well, let’s call it ambitious. Especially when you realise Land Rover will sell you a brand-new Defender Octa for about R3,663,000. You have to really love the old-school shape to justify spending more on a restored Classic than on the flagship modern model.
