Land Rover Classic lets Classic Defender V8 match OCTA

Land Rover Classic says in a JLR update that its Works Bespoke Classic Defender V8 can now match Defender OCTA colours and trims. Read full details here.

Land Rover Classic has expanded its Works Bespoke programme for the Classic Defender V8, letting customers commission a build that mirrors the latest Defender OCTA in colour and cabin trim. Rather than introducing a new model, the company is sharpening the brief: a hand-finished Classic Defender that visually and materially aligns with the most extreme, highest-performance Defender in today’s range.

The Classic Defender V8 remains available in 90 or 110 Station Wagon form, as well as a 90 Soft Top, but the OCTA-inspired palette brings five additional exterior finishes into play: OCTA-exclusive Petra Copper, Faroe Green and Sargasso Blue, plus Narvik Black from Defender OCTA Black and Patagonia White. Existing options such as Borasco Grey, Carpathian Grey and Charente Grey continue to be offered on the Classic Defender V8.

Land Rover Classic says each vehicle spends around 300 hours in the paint shop, from preparation and colour matching through to final polishing. Buyers can choose either a gloss finish or a newly developed satin option designed to match the sheen of Defender OCTA’s optional matte protective film.

Inside, the Classic Defender gains OCTA-style choices for the first time, including lightweight Ultrafabrics PU in Khaki Green, Light Cloud and Lunar, alongside Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather. For those drawn to the OCTA Black theme, Ebony leather is available too. Customers can specify hand-trimmed, heated Recaro sports seats and work with Land Rover Classic’s design team to replicate colour placement across key touchpoints, from the steering wheel and transmission levers to the dashboard, headlining and door trims.

Further OCTA-linked touches include a gloss black radiator grille styled after the modern flagship and intended to maximise open area for cooling, plus chopped carbon fibre bonnet script.

Importantly, you don’t need to own a Defender OCTA to order a matching Classic Defender V8. Each commission starts with a 2012–2016 donor vehicle that is fully restored, re-engineered and upgraded. The Classic Defender V8 package centres on a 405PS 5.0-litre V8 paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic with sport mode, supported by a specially developed suspension setup, revised steering and uprated brakes featuring 335mm front and 300mm rear discs with four-piston calipers.

Pricing for the Classic Defender V8 starts from £190,000 plus local taxes, and each vehicle comes with a one-year, unlimited mileage warranty. With Defender OCTA positioned as the peak of the modern line-up—powered by a 635PS 4.4-litre twin-turbo mild-hybrid V8 and quoted at 0–100 km/h in 4.0 seconds—Land Rover Classic’s move reads as a clear response to demand: clients increasingly want a classic icon that doesn’t just stand alone, but pairs convincingly with the brand’s most headline-grabbing flagship.