Land Rover fans know there is nothing to get the pulses racing more than a powerful V8 engine. This is as true whether the model in question is vintage, a self-build at home, or the very latest thing to roll off the production line.

It is the last of these things that has grabbed the attention as the new Defender OCTA has been revealed to the world, with observers being highly impressed.

Top Gear said “The first thing you need to know is that it’ll do 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds,” adding that this made it as fast at accelerating as the Ferrari F50. 

This was just the beginning. Explaining how this BMW M5 engine could deliver such a surge, it noted: “For Top Trumps purposes, that means it’s a 4.4-litre twin-turbo mild hybrid V8 that produces 626bhp and 553lb ft of torque.“

Of course, some may say the glory of a Land Rover is not being able to do 155 MPH, but being able to do things on rough terrain that no Ferrari could do.

The good news here, Top Gear notes, is that it has outstanding off-road performance, including its ability to “wade through one metre of water”, which is more than any other defender. Perhaps Ed Davey should get one.

Evo was among the other publications to praise the power and off-roading ability of the OCTA, calling it an “all terrain monster” and the “toughest and sharpest Defender yet”.

Among the modifications from previous models are new front and rear bumpers, with modified airflow systems and improvements to its “approach and departure angles”, the review noted.

Needless to say, if you are building a Land Rover at home, it is not quite going to reach these levels of speed or performance, even with a V8 engine. But it can still pack an almighty punch and provide some great experiences behind the wheel.