If you’re running a covert war or a Russian crime syndicate, boy do I have the ride for you.
I present the Land Rover Defender 110 OCTA Black.
And black it is. The paint, the wheels and the leather seats are all black, among other things. Even the Land Rover grille emblem is blacked out. Team of goons not included.
1/8
WTOP/John Aaron
If you're running a covert war or a Russian crime syndicate, boy do I have the ride for you.
I present the Land Rover Defender 110 OCTA Black.
And black it is. The paint, the wheels and the leather seats are all black, among other things. Even the Land Rover grille emblem is blacked out. Team of goons not included.
The menacing look is backed up by what's under the hood: a 4.4‑liter twin turbo mild‑hybrid V8 producing 626 horsepower, which growls at idle and roars under acceleration. It's enough to rocket this behemoth to 60 miles per hour in a scant 3.8 seconds.
Land Rover says the OCTA provides "unmatched breadth of capability and performance both on‑ and off‑road" with this version "taking the capability of Defender 110 to an unparalleled level."
(In case you are wondering, the Google says an octa diamond refers to an uncut stone shaped like two pyramids glued together, with eight triangular faces. Land Rover says the OCTA "is a rare combination of toughness and luxury," hence the diamond-inspired name. The RANDOM CAPITALIZATION of OCTA is not explained.)
Additionally, the OCTA "will wade deeper than any production Defender vehicle before it," with this one pushing its way through more than three feet of water. An air suspension can raise and lower the vehicle. And the OCTA "can automatically detect which surface it is being driven on and optimize its dynamic settings accordingly." Its 33‑inch tires are the largest ever fitted to a production Defender.
Its only real nemesis: parking garages, as this one is taller and wider than a normal Defender, thanks in part to extended wheel arches. Also, climbing in and out isn't the easiest.
I got to enjoy the OCTA on a trip to New York City. Its New Jersey plates were perfect for the Turnpike. Hey, I'm driving here! Huge side mirrors helped with lane changes. A chime can alert you to impending traffic enforcement cameras. My wife and I also enjoyed the "Body and Soul Seat," which allows the driver and front passenger to feel, as well as hear, music. I didn't worry about getting a flat on the highway. Does it have a spare? Does it ever! Just look at that knobby, full-size rubber hanging off the rear cargo door. However, the aforementioned garage took some sweet-talking to get into. I then had to look away as the mega-Defender got squeezed into an elevator.
Is it dependable? The simple answer is not really, per JD Power, at least in relation to other brands. But if you can afford this ($170,650 after shipping, no options required) you can take one of your dozen other luxury cars while this is at the dealer getting "adjustments." Or you can just use your helicopter or whatever else you ultrarich people do.
In the end, this one delivers on style, exclusivity and all-around capability, or as Land Rover puts it, "no compromises."
2/8
WTOP/John Aaron
The menacing look of the Land Rover Defender 110 OCTA Black is backed up by what’s under the hood: a 4.4‑liter twin turbo mild‑hybrid V8 producing 626 horsepower, which growls at idle and roars under acceleration. (WTOP/John Aaron)
3/8
WTOP/John Aaron
The OCTA “will wade deeper than any production Defender vehicle before it,” with this one pushing its way through more than three feet of water. An air suspension can raise and lower the vehicle. (WTOP/John Aaron)
4/8
WTOP/John Aaron
The OCTA “can automatically detect which surface it is being driven on and optimize its dynamic settings accordingly.” Its 33‑inch tires are the largest ever fitted to a production Defender. (WTOP/John Aaron)
5/8
WTOP/John Aaron
Its only real nemesis: parking garages, as this one is taller and wider than a normal Defender, thanks in part to extended wheel arches. Also, climbing in and out isn’t the easiest. (WTOP/John Aaron)
6/8
WTOP/John Aaron
Huge side mirrors helped with lane changes. A chime can alert you to impending traffic enforcement cameras. (WTOP/John Aaron)
7/8
WTOP/John Aaron
The “Body and Soul Seat” allows the driver and front passenger to feel, as well as hear, music. (WTOP/John Aaron)
8/8
WTOP/John Aaron
In the end, this one delivers on style, exclusivity and all-around capability, or as Land Rover puts it, “no compromises.” (WTOP/John Aaron)
The menacing look is backed up by what’s under the hood: a 4.4‑liter twin turbo mild‑hybrid V8 producing 626 horsepower, which growls at idle and roars under acceleration. It’s enough to rocket this behemoth to 60 miles per hour in a scant 3.8 seconds.
Land Rover says the OCTA provides “unmatched breadth of capability and performance both on‑ and off‑road” with this version “taking the capability of Defender 110 to an unparalleled level.”
(In case you are wondering, the Google says an octa diamond refers to an uncut stone shaped like two pyramids glued together, with eight triangular faces. Land Rover says the OCTA “is a rare combination of toughness and luxury,” hence the diamond-inspired name. The RANDOM CAPITALIZATION of OCTA is not explained.)
Additionally, the OCTA “will wade deeper than any production Defender vehicle before it,” with this one pushing its way through more than three feet of water. An air suspension can raise and lower the vehicle. And the OCTA “can automatically detect which surface it is being driven on and optimize its dynamic settings accordingly.” Its 33‑inch tires are the largest ever fitted to a production Defender.
Its only real nemesis: parking garages, as this one is taller and wider than a normal Defender, thanks in part to extended wheel arches. Also, climbing in and out isn’t the easiest.
I got to enjoy the OCTA on a trip to New York City. Its New Jersey plates were perfect for the Turnpike. Hey, I’m driving here! Huge side mirrors helped with lane changes. A chime can alert you to impending traffic enforcement cameras. My wife and I also enjoyed the “Body and Soul Seat,” which allows the driver and front passenger to feel, as well as hear, music. I didn’t worry about getting a flat on the highway. Does it have a spare? Does it ever! Just look at that knobby, full-size rubber hanging off the rear cargo door. However, the aforementioned garage took some sweet-talking to get into. I then had to look away as the mega-Defender got squeezed into an elevator.
Is it dependable? The simple answer is not really, per JD Power, at least in relation to other brands. But if you can afford this ($170,650 after shipping, no options required) you can take one of your dozen other luxury cars while this is at the dealer getting “adjustments.” Or you can just use your helicopter or whatever else you ultrarich people do.
In the end, this one delivers on style, exclusivity and all-around capability, or as Land Rover puts it, “no compromises.”
National Museum of the American Latino to be housed in historic Smithsonian building
The Smithsonian Institution has decided to put the National Museum of the American Latino into an existing, historic building, rather than constructing a new one.
The Smithsonian Board of Regents on Monday designated the Arts and Industries Building, a 145-year-old redbrick Victorian structure located between the Smithsonian Castle and the Hirshhorn Museum, as the permanent site of the National Museum of the American Latino, which Congress authorized in 2020.
In 2022, the Smithsonian narrowed its survey for permanent locations for the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women's History Museum to four locations near the National Mall on land owned by the National Park Service. The Arts and Industries Building, located at 900 Jefferson St. SW, was one of the four sites.
New construction on National Park Service land would require congressional approval. However, since the Smithsonian already owns the Arts and Industries Building, the institution can place the National Museum of the American Latino in the existing building without additional legislation.
