As the pantheon of Land Rovers and Range Rovers is added to by multiple new editions each year, the question of whether the best vehicle to drive is the latest thing on four wheels or an older version remains pertinent.

It is, of course, a matter of taste. Take, for example, the newest Land Rover Defender, the OCTA Edition One. In its review of the vehicle, Auto Evolution described it as being “a fortress on wheels”. This is no exaggeration, as INKAS have been brought into the process by adding armour plating.

Whether you would need armour plating is another matter. It is unlikely to have crossed the line of many people who prefer to spend their time and money on a Rover V8 rebuild, putting together an older vehicle and restoring it to its former glory.

However, while making a restored Land Rover bulletproof may not be on the agenda, the exact nature of the V8 engine will be up for grabs. The OCTA uses a twin turbo offering 626 HP, which is seriously impressive and a lot more than past V8 engines.

For instance, in 1970, the V8 offered 124 HP, much more than the oldest Land Rovers but well below what is available now. Even the 1994 Range Rover was not a lot more powerful, at 134 HP.

The development of far more forceful V8 engines in more recent years may be exciting, but you may not necessarily want or need such an engine. After all, you don’t have the armour plating and intimidating bulkiness of the latest models to carry.

Of course, there will be some who love the more powerful recent Defenders and that is fine. But it is worth noting that if you are rebuilding an older Land Rover and need a replacement V8 engine, it does not always need to be the most powerful or modern version, least of all to replicate the performance of an older vehicle when it was first introduced.