- The Defender OCTA’s V8 now makes 93 fewer horses than before at 533 hp.
- The detuned BMW engine is coming to the Euro-spec model.
- The torque remains unchanged, but the OCTA is now slower than before.
Land Rover has no option but to regulate the Defender OCTA’s engine to comply with the strict emissions regulations. In Europe and some other markets, the BMW-sourced engine is losing significant power. Previously, the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 produced a strong 626 hp, but sadly, that’s no longer the case. Engineers have dialed back the Bavarian eight-cylinder by 93 hp, reducing output to 533 hp.
As expected, performance suffered. Acceleration to 62 mph (100 km/h) now takes 4.4 seconds, making it 0.4 seconds slower than before. However, there is a silver lining. The Defender OCTA continues to produce 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque, so the only horsepower bump is 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 engineers reworked the exhaust for a meaningful soundtrack.
We’re not entirely surprised by the V8 downgrade. Earlier this year, BMW had to detune the engine in the European-spec M5 to meet stricter emissions standards. However, the eight-cylinder lost only 41 hp compared to the Defender’s 93-hp reduction. BMW was able to offset the lower output of the engine by increasing the electric motor, leaving the combined output unchanged. That’s not the case here as the OCTA uses a V8-only setup instead of a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Photo by: Land Rover
It’s worth noting that BMW’s S68 V8 also powers two other Land Rover products: the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. The engine has already been engineered to meet the upcoming Euro 7 standard, giving it a long future, possibly until the 2030s. The next models to receive this V8 will be the facelifted 7 Series next year along with the M Performance version of the new X5 and the second-generation X7.
Although the V8 may seem like an endangered species amid ever-tighter emissions regulations in Europe, it’s not going down without a fight. Apart from BMW, luxury brands like Porsche and Mercedes are also planning to keep their largest combustion engines alive for the next decade. Even the V12 found in Rolls-Royce and Maybach models isn’t headed for retirement in the near future.
Nevertheless, the demise of large-displacement combustion engines seems inevitable, especially in Europe. Automakers selling cars on the continent will have to cut their fleet CO2 Emissions by 90 percent by 2035 compared to 2021 levels. This will make it harder to justify gas-guzzling engines during the second half of the next decade unless manufacturers can offset their emissions by selling enough EVs.
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Source: Land Rover
Motor1’s Opinion: Increasingly strict emissions regulations in Europe have been strangling engines for years, even prompting Mazda to discontinue the Miata’s 2.0-liter engine entirely. In the end, it’s all a numbers game: Do you want to keep selling cars with big engines? You’ll need to balance them with enough plug-in hybrids and EVs.
If fleet emissions exceed regulatory targets, automakers face hefty fines. While there is an exemption for low-volume manufacturers, most automakers must comply to avoid substantial penalties from EU regulators.
