You can put the rail and rack on a V8 if you want to despite LR saying you cannot. It makes no sense that LR says no and then goes around and puts them on the OCTA. A lot of folks have put roof rails and racks on their V8 Defenders. Similarly, you cannot get the tow package on the Range Rover P550e in the US, but you can in Europe. I just do not get the reasons Land Rover comes up with.

 

I am wondering if the 2025 or late 24s have the rails due to the issues LR is having with the rubber trim they put on the roof of V8 models in place of the rails.

That trim is crumbling failing off my 23 model which I only bought it a month ago and only has 3500 miles on it.
While at the dealership yesterday they were looking into it and they had a 2024 model 90 V8 on the lot and it too has the rubber inserts coming apart on it with only 11 miles on it.

Also worth noting is those rubber trim pieces that are falling off mine and that brand new model on the lot, happens to also be on backorder with LR.

So that made my local LR service manager think possibly they are looking for a fix, which he told me the simple fix would be to have roof rails added, that every model except the V8 has roof rails where those rubber filler pieces are on the V8 models, in leu of the roof rails. Now then said he could not add the roof rails nor would warranty cover installing the roof rails since LR says roof rails are not allowed on V8s.
He did suggest if I wanted to solve that issue permanently, that I could order the rails from him and have them installed by a 3rd party or install them myself, only that he cautioned the home install since the head liner has to come down in the installation process.

 

My 2024 D110 V8 gas around 1,800 miles on it and the rubber insert on the passenger side isn't seated properly. It's one of the main reasons I am switching to the roof rails. The rubber insert doesn't sit flush and I can see it sticking up standing next to the vehicle.

 

I walked up to mine a couple days ago parked in my garage and I thought it had a stick laying on roof, reached up to grab it off there and it was piece of dried-up brittle rubber.
Turned out I had a few other pieces starting to fall out of those roof rail pockets.
Seems it was a very poor design or just a very poor-quality part from their vendor.

 

That’s interesting regarding the rubber inserts.
I had to sign a document on delivery promising not to use the rails for any loads. And it said that LR would remove them as soon as possible. The dealer agreed to letting me keep them but they might have to remove them to take a picture and send to LR and then put them back.

 

There it is, that sort of sums up what’s going on here. Sounds a lot like LR still didn’t want put rails on the v8s for whatever odd reasoning.
But are installing them latest production models since they have a very widespread known issue going on with these rubber filler pieces that fill in the roof rail mounting points.
‘Very interesting, thanks for sharing that info.

 

If it were me I would have off-road/AT tires fitted straight away along with a roof rack, etc. It seems that the ‘lower performance envelope’ of the off-road tires is the biggest part of what makes it ok based the configurator showing different allowed roof loads depending on the tires selected.

I suppose it goes without saying I would also drive it like the truck it is and not pretend it’s a sports car. As my wife noted the first time she drove it—feels like it would roll over in the corners so I had to slow way down. She drives a Cayenne GTS normally which is a V8 truck with actual sporting intentions and the difference is night and day.

 

there's another thread on this, but I will summarize: we are all speculating, but it seems to be more of an issue with regulations than actual performance or capability. I say this based on weight differences and other factors that many others have commented on... I have a 2023 V8 and I installed factory roof rails and rack (I am also running 20" factory wheels and KO2 tires) I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience... I am also not driving 120mph or trying to drift corners in my defender, I am not getting anywhere close to its road limits....However, my local JLR dealer would not do the install soI had to have it done at an independent Land Rover Shop. That said, the V8 comes with the same factory mounts and all fits exactly as it does on the 6 or 4... no modifications required.

 

First post on this forum. Amazing resource for this amazing vehicle. Im loving it.

I just acquired a 2023 V8 Defender 110.
It does not have the roof rails. I need to install cross-bars on the roof.
I have read a lot of the comments an am aware of the pitfalls (warranty and other issues etc)
However, I would like to carry my snowboard in the winter, and paddle board in the summer.
Nothing heavier than those items.

My questions:
1. Does one have to have the roof rails to install roof accessories, or can roof racks be directly bolted to the mounting points on the roof?
2. Which roof racks can be directly bolted to the roof?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!

 

1. no if you use a rack that doesn’t require them

2. Front runner

if anything your task is made a lot easier as you don’t have to remove the rails and address all the annoying loctite bedazzled bolts.

oddly enough. The new Octa has its own roof rack and rails. More horses and a dynamic roof rating greater than zero.

regular v8. Mount your rack/rails and enjoy the damn thing.

welcomw btw.