The $158,000 Mistake?

The 2025.5 Land Rover Defender OCTA is a 5,600-lb physics experiment designed to dismantle the Mercedes G-Wagen. But is this street spec build with 22-inch wheels a stroke of genius, or a misunderstood failure? For 45 years, the Mercedes-AMG G63 has dominated the luxury truck market despite driving like a military tractor. Land Rover’s answer is the Defender OCTA, a $158,300 super-truck powered by a BMW S68 Twin-Turbo V8 and suspended by the banned-in-motorsport 6D Dynamics hydraulic system. In this deep dive, professional driver we take a deep dive into the engineering that allows this heavyweight to corner flat, explains why the G-Wagen's solid rear axle is obsolete, and take the street spec (22-inch wheels and all-season tires) to a snowy locale to discuss the friction circle. Vehicle Specification Engine: 4.4L Twin-Turbo V8 (BMW S68) Output: 626 hp @ 5,855 RPM / 553 lb-ft @ 1,800 RPM Suspension: 6D Dynamics (Hydraulic Interlinked) Tires: 275/50R22 All-Season Curb Weight: ~5,600 lbs MSRP: Starting at $158,300 USD What Makes the Defender So Special After 75 Years? https://youtu.be/PeF0mN2zmy8 ——————————————————————— // MY AMAZON STORE with my favorite things for drivers https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-4cc174af (this is an affiliate link) /// MERCH Pick up some sweet merch in our store! https://brian-makse-shop.fourthwall.com/ /// SUBSCRIBE Subscribe NOW to Brian Makse's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=brianmakse /// SOCIAL Instagram: http://Instagram.com/BrianMakse Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BrianMakse Facebook: http://Facebook.com/MakseAttack Spotify: https://sptfy.com/brianmakse Link In My Bio: https://makse.com/linkinbio/ /// MORE About Brian: http://makse.com/about /// WHAT I'M LISTENING TO Real AF With Andy Frisella https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/realaf-podcast Be sure to let us know what you think about this video and smash the subscribe button if you haven’t already! Test vehicles are provided by the respective manufacturers for review purposes, unless otherwise noted, and all opinions are our own. Music © 2025 Russell Soares (russellsoares.com), used with permission, all rights reserved. #DefenderOCTA #LandRover #GWagon #Engineering #BrianMakse #CarReview