Mustang Dark Horse vs Defender OCTA vs Aston DB12
The V8 engine is fast becoming extinct - best choose which one you want to save
Those of you with good memories and long memberships might remember that we’ve been here before. Back in 2017 it was the naturally aspirated V8 under threat; the writing was on the wall, with turbos better incorporated than ever before and regulations less than favourable for big-cube, atmospheric lumps. If hardly the prediction of the century, it proved correct: the Maserati GranTurismo went from 4.7-litre V8 to 3.0-litre turbo V6; the Aston Vantage gave up its identically sized and configured engine for a 4.0-litre turbo. Lexus stuck it out for as long as possible, even its 5.0-litre unit eventually succumbed. As for the 6.4-litre Jeep SRT, it was a surprise to find that it was ever actually offered for sale in the UK, let alone removed.
What seems like a lifetime later, it’s the entire layout that seems under threat. Plug-in hybridisation certainly has a role to play in the V8’s preservation, but even that feeds into everything growing more expensive, more complex and more powerful - without necessarily improving the experience. The appeal of the V8 was that it didn’t need much explaining or embellishing, overdelivering on power, sound and theatre almost everywhere it was deployed. These days, short of something like a McLaren 750S, you’re doing well to get eight cylinders without a chunk of electric assistance.
Thankfully, it's not impossible just yet. Granted, there’s a number of cars in the VW Group stable that use a 4.0-litre V8, from Bentley Bentayga to Porsche Panamera, with or without PHEV help, so that's something. But away from the powerhouse German OEMs, your choice gets narrower. Much narrower. So while this comparison emulates the 2017 test in bringing together a disparate collection of cars, the truth is that they are very much in the minority when it comes to the way they are powered. Think of it this way: if ever there was a time to celebrate that you can buy a luxury SUV that thinks it's a rally raid car, a front-engined grand tourer that thinks it's a sports car and 5.0 litres of American muscle that thinks... well, that thinks it's 5.0 litres of American muscle - it's right now. Because it's later than you think.
The Mustang is the only survivor from the previous feature, which is immensely pleasing. It isn't hard to imagine a scenario where Ford's most famous car might have gone electric. Or else been left to wither on the vine as a curio. But this is the still-almost-new (for the UK, at any rate) S650 ‘Stang - it was S550 previously - and in Dark Horse spec as well. With the six-speed manual. If anything’s going to show off the glory of the V8 to its full effect in 2025, the Dark Horse is it.
In the US, the fourth generation of Coyote V8 is treated to friskier cams plus the forged conrods from the 5.2-litre, GT500-spec Predator engine for DH spec. And the folk who name engines at Ford get a raise. No such luck here, the flagship mustering just the extra 7hp from a GT’s 446hp. Still, hard to complain about a 450hp-plus, atmospheric V8 in 2025. Since its introduction in 2011, the Coyote has become the Mustang engine, from Boss to Bullitt, and only really used otherwise in a few F-150s. There was also something called the Miami variant, a supercharged derivative engineered in Australia for the Ford Falcon FPV Holy Grail. With 648hp - yes, for real. But let’s save that tangent for another day.
The V8s found in the other two are much more widely employed; whether they’re any better known is probably up for debate. The Aston Martin, as you’ll probably know thanks to a deal that extends back years (but is now notable for the extent to which Gaydon is free to tinker), is thundered along by Mercedes-AMG’s M177 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 - shame they didn’t call Ford’s engine naming department for that one. Here it’s furnished with 200hp more than when it first appeared in the C-Class just about 10 years ago; since then it’s memorably motored along a whole generation of fabulous ‘63s, this car’s DB11 predecessor, and the DBX. As a dry-sumped M178, the 4.0-litre debuted in the original GT - and will also be found presently in the middle of the Valhalla. In other words, AMG's V8 is fundamental to the appeal of modern-day Aston Martin.
If the Mustang couldn’t have anything but a 5.0-litre V8 under its bonnet and the Aston’s association with Affalterbach is well established, the OCTA represents a much newer alliance. Because it’s BMW-engined. Like the Sport SV, there’s 635hp here courtesy of the S68 4.4, a (very) mild-hybrid version of the old S63. Launched in 2022, it’s the engine found in the current M5, as well as a host of other recent M GmbH heavyweights. The 48-volt system provides 12hp/150lb ft boost, VANOS is now electrically operated rather than hydraulic, and the OCTA is within 2mpg, officially, of the Mustang. Despite an extra 700kg and 180hp. From the ain’t-no-replacement approach to the very latest in forced induction - via a hot-vee hot rod - the three neatly encapsulate the evolution of the V8. There’s little more than a thousand cubic centimetres between all three.
Let's start with the DB12 because from the very second you switch it on, it demonstrates why Aston was so adamant about clinging to the configuration. It’s hard to forget that this is a near-700hp missile, so adept is the big GT at harnessing all that power. Aston V8s have always been more than capable of such potency (remember when they used to be twin-supercharged), if not the panache. Now that’s all changed; indeed such is the ability for turning mechanical fury into meaningful progress that all too often you’re travelling a bit too fast for the situation (if not the car) in a DB12. It’s such an irresistibly capable machine, goading you on at every opportunity with the way it stops, rides and steers to plunder the depths of its talents.
The engine may seem buttoned-down compared to the bellowing brutes of yesteryear, but there’s real character to the M177. It’s that little bit older than some of the latest hot-vee turbo V8s, as well as packing a wodge more muscle, therefore just needs working with a little. There’s some hesitancy as blowers take in great gobfuls of air, the Aston only really hitting its stride beyond 3,000rpm. From there, though, it charges with the sort of abandon no naturally aspirated Aston short of a One-77 could dream of, walloping down the road in unapologetic, unrelenting fashion. Too much throttle is never enough, certainly not for the eight-speed auto, and the chassis relishes the challenge of marshalling such a monster powertrain. The DB12 is a rich, absorbing, tactile treat of a super GT, the car we always hoped Aston might make but which never quite materialised in DB11.
The normal drive mode with the sports exhaust on brings a good amount of V8 pantomime to the party. As is often the case, the more senior settings tend to overdo throttle response and sound. With the window down it’s easy to hear the huffing and puffing of the turbos desperately trying to generate all that power, but there’s some real musicality there as well. It's an old-school rumble, more subdued than in a Vantage if still just the right amount of rude. Ultimately, it cannot compete with the raw theatre of a naturally aspirated V8, but trust us when we say it doesn’t limit your enjoyment of this Aston Martin. It’s a terrific achievement, mostly because in the way it flows along a road and endlessly flatters its driver, it lives up to our sky-high expectations of the brand. Probably the Vanquish has earned bragging rights as the burliest and best cruiser, but the DB12 - thanks in no small part to its engine - remains just the right kind of special.
The initial messages from the Defender OCTA could hardly be more mixed by comparison. Some of that will come from the familiarity: a JLR product with a V8 that isn’t the supercharged warhorse is going to take some getting used to. But there’s also the notion of a £150k flagship as a genuine off-road weapon - and the nagging thought that no sane person is going to take a Defender worth two and a half times the price of a standard one anywhere muddier than a Soho Farmhouse drive. Which would be a shame given the engineering investment aimed at making the 6D Dynamics chassis Dakar worthy. And while 635hp is undoubtedly impressive, it’s also fighting against 2,510kg, or even more than the planet-sized, plug-in M5 with which the Defender shares quite a bit.
As is so often the case, those concerns ebb away pretty quickly once you’ve clambered aboard SS OCTA. That same dynamic cohesiveness that characterises virtually all Land Rover products - not least its capacity for fostering a genuine connection between car and road surface - is present in abundance. Even with the knobbly tyres and more than twice the power of a straight-six diesel. It steers very positively on its quicker rack, brakes with great confidence, and controls its mass with all the authority of a modern prop forward. The OCTA never feels light, or anything approaching that adjective, though nor does it ever seem overawed by two-and-a-half tonnes either.
While the modified chassis can claim some credit for that impression, balanced and accurate in a way it has no real right to be, the hard-charging 4.4-litre V8 most certainly aids the impression as well. Immediately after the DB12, it’s a great demonstration of what a modest amount of MHEV tech can do for a big car, hauling from absolutely zip like it were unencumbered by the complexity of twin turbochargers. This effect should not be understated: most new Defenders, even the very powerful ones, tend to heave themselves into motion with a stately, whirring sort of low-speed dither. Not the OCTA. It fires away from a standing start, and doesn't let up from there.
Look at the peak torque for a numerical display of what that feels like: 553lb ft is sustained for more than 4,000rpm, from less than two grand to six, meaning there’s never, ever any hint of hesitation or delay. Just the acceleration of an avalanche. And this is a BMW S-designated V8, too, so it rips through the revs. Course there’s no need, really, for 7,200rpm in a Defender OCTA, not with the momentum already accrued by that point, but it becomes hard not to indulge given its zeal and appetite for more engine speed. Chalk that up as one of the Land Rover’s surprising attributes: the OCTA, unlike previous 5.0-litre variants, wants to be driven, and driven hard. All the time. Very clearly, this is what the new V8 is there to do.
Nevertheless, as a BMW lump, it doesn’t sound all that brilliant. Certainly not in this company, nor compared to its supercharged predecessor. There’s no mistaking it for anything other than a V8, of course, but it’s short on aural drama, and what your ears hear in the cabin is a tad plain in truth - even when cranked to Dynamic. Which is a shame; you want it to romp along like a barely silenced Dakar racer, a disappointment only partly assuaged by the fact that the OCTA does a very good impression of a Dakar racer otherwise. You just have to live with it sounding like an X5M.
Still, if it’s a noisy, silly V8 that you’re after, the good news is you can have one for less than half the OCTA costs. It’s hard not to assume that Ford is working to a completely different set of regulations to every other manufacturer, such is the plethora of incredible, raw combustion sounds that emanate from this car. It snorts like a Supercar under load, roars out of those quad exhaust tips and cackles like a pantomime baddie. The largest, highest revving engine here makes a memorable impression before you even snatch second. Which is longer than the Panama canal, frustratingly, taking the Dark Horse all the way to 50mph.
The rest are better stacked for fun, and the Dark Horse utilises a Tremec six-speed rather than the GT’s Getrag. It’s a superb manual, tough yet accurate and endlessly satisfying, fostering an even tighter bond with a great engine. After the other two, a 5.0-litre, 32-valve Coyote feels a little torpid at low revs; even with the weight advantage, the torque of forced induction undeniable. Stick with it, however, and the naturally aspirated V8 comes alive in a way the other two can’t, its burble and gurgle morphing into a holler as the revs pile on. From 5,000rpm or so the Mustang races for its 7,500rpm cutout like it’s a fizzy little four-cylinder. Which is more than a little entertaining. Anyone who says exciting engines aren’t available to the (above) average Joe anymore needs a run through second gear in a Dark Horse.
Once upon a time, a fast and furious V8 would have been enough for Ford to send the Mustang on its merry way. Not any longer; there’s a limit to how precise and wieldy a 1,800kg car can be without active anti-roll and four-wheel steer, but the limit here is much higher than would be expected. Plus it’s predictable and entertaining at all commitment levels, even if Mustang steering still leaves something to be desired. Good job wily Coyote is there to help with cornering attitude as required. It’s a really good driver’s car, the Dark Horse, giving you a much longer leash than previous versions to unlock all that V8 goodness.
Would it be so appealing with a different, smaller engine? It's hard to say - but we can be certain that it would be wholly different. All three cars assembled in a small corner of Wales for 24 hours are dependent on eight cylinders for an inimitable part of their charm; that much is as self-evident as the warmth of the rising sun. It is for this reason that Land Rover and Aston have ensured a steady supply, and that an EV called Mustang has nothing whatsoever to do with the world's most famous muscle car. They survive because we covet them. Like a recycled '80s action hero, the V8 has evolved just enough to keep up with the times, but the appeal is much as it ever was: they rumble and grumble and make everything seem alright with the world.
Accordingly, there hardly needs to be a winner here. Each is wonderful in its own consummate way, as we knew they would be. And though eventually history will repeat itself and the V8 will go from increasingly uncommon to vanishingly rare, we can at least rejoice in that fact, even if availability comes at significant cost. For now, just know this: the irrepressible energy of its BMW engine and beefed-up platform makes the OCTA a Defender unlike any other, and a Mercedes V8 endows the DB12 with just enough swagger for it to seem raucous whenever it needs to. And should you ever get the chance, do not turn down the chance to be in the presence of 5,038cc, 7,500rpm and six manual gears. Deep, heartfelt joy is contained within. Enjoy it while you can.
SPECIFICATION | 2025 FORD MUSTANG GT DARK HORSE
Engine: 5,038cc, V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 453@7,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 398@5,100rpm
0-62mph: 5.2sec
Top speed: 168mph
Weight: 1,836kg (Ford kerbweight)
MPG: 22.8
CO2: 282g/km
Price: £70,740 (price as standard; price as tested £75,540 comprising Carbonised Grey paint for £800, Recaro Indigo Vinyl / Cloth - Dark Horse for £2,000, Dark Horse Recaro seats for £2,000)
SPECIFICATION | 2025 LAND ROVER DEFENDER OCTA EDITION ONE
Engine: 4,395cc twin-turbo V8, mild-hybrid
Transmission: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 635@5,855-7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 553@1,800-5,855rpm
0-62mph: 4.0 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (all-terrain tyres limited to 100mph)
Weight: 2,510kg (DIN)
MPG: 21.0 (WLTP)
CO2: 304g/km (WLTP)
Price: from £160,800
SPECIFICATION | 2025 ASTON MARTIN DB12
Engine: 3,982cc, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 680@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 590@2,750-6,000rpm
0-62mph: 3.6secs
Top speed: 202mph
Weight: 1,685kg (dry)
MPG: 23.2
CO2: 276g/km
Price: from £188,500
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