Beauden Barrett Joins Defender Family as OCTA Launches in NZ
Last night, we joined a select group of automotive media, rugby fans, and industry insiders in Auckland for the New Zealand launch of the Defender OCTA — the most powerful and extreme model in the Defender lineup to date.
As if the hardware wasn’t headline enough, Land Rover also used the occasion to announce rugby icon Beauden Barrett as their newest brand ambassador. It’s a fitting match: both the man and the machine are built for resilience, speed, and performance under pressure.
Shot in Barrett’s home region of Taranaki — including Arawhata Road, Taranaki Stadium, and the rugged Tongapōrutu coastline — the campaign draws a connection between Beauden’s roots and the OCTA’s unrelenting capability.
“It’s a real privilege to bring this partnership to life at home in Taranaki – where I grew up, and where my love for rugby started,” Barrett said during the launch. “Defender is built for performance and purpose, and those values really resonate with me.”
Performance is where the OCTA sets itself apart. Under the bonnet sits a 4.4-litre Twin Turbo mild-hybrid V8, producing a massive 635PS (467kW) and 750Nm of torque. That’s enough to launch this 2.6-tonne beast from 0–60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, with 0–100 km/h clocked at a touch over four seconds.
Complementing that output is Defender’s 6D Dynamics air suspension system — a hydraulically linked setup that keeps the vehicle flat and composed both on-road and off. Coupled with increased ground clearance (up to 323mm), 550mm of wheel articulation, and a 1 metre wading depth, the OCTA is purpose-built for New Zealand’s harshest trails.
It rides on exclusive 20- or 22-inch wheels, shod in 33-inch all-terrain tyres, and stops on Brembo brakes with 400mm front and 365mm rear discs. You also get a new OCTA drive mode, integrated power braking system, and active exhaust that growls appropriately when pushed.
Inside, the tech focus continues with Body and Soul performance seats — complete with built-in transducers that let you feel your music. And yes, it still feels every bit a Defender: minimalist but premium, hard-wearing but refined.
Ben Montgomery, General Manager for JLR New Zealand, said it best:
“Beauden is the perfect ambassador for Defender. He represents the same values that define the brand: resilience, humility, and the drive to go beyond.”
OCTA joins the broader Defender lineup alongside the 90, 110, 130 and Hard Top models — but this one’s a different beast entirely. More power. More control. More attitude.
