Smoking Hot: Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition
The Defender Trophy Edition is a tribute to a legendary rally — and built for a competition all its own.
Enthusiasts of a certain age will definitely remember the Camel Trophy. Run from 1980 to 1998, it happened during the era when tobacco companies seemingly funded every aspect of motorsport, from F1, to Rally, to NASCAR. As you might have guessed by now, it was sponsored by the Camel cigarette brand, and took entrants to far-flung locales like Brazil, Papua New Guinea, and Zaire. Just after the Berlin Wall fell, the teams even traveled to Siberia, in the last days of the USSR. So you can’t say the terrain didn’t vary.
Aside from the inaugural run, where Jeep CJ5s were used, each year saw competitors using Land Rover models, which included the Range Rover, Defender 90, and Discovery. Of course, many contemporary enthusiasts tricked out their Land Rovers as Camel Trophy tributes. Keep your eyes peeled, however, and you’ll occasionally find an original model for sale. This example only went for 90k, which — hard miles aside — seems like a bargain given the super-cool pedigree. That said, if you’re looking for a modern take on these notoriously tough machines, you’re in luck. Meet the 2022 Defender Trophy Edition.
Just like its ancestors, the Trophy Edition will sport yellow paint, and the livery on the front doors will resemble the original rally’s logo. Each of the limited edition models will be powered by the mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six engine, which is good for 395 horsepower. These Defenders will also have a host of other off-road ready bits, including a beefy front skid plate, deployable ladder, winch installation kit, mud flaps, an integrated air compressor, and deep sided rubber mats. Sales start next month, and if you’re looking to get one, you should act fast, as only 220 of them are destined for the States.
In a cool twist, buyers who score one of these new-school beasts will be eligible to enter an off-road competition at North Carolina’s Biltmore Estate, where a section of the 8000-acre grounds will be transformed into a challenging circuit designed to test the mettle of the both the Defenders and their two-person teams. Hey, it might not be Siberia or Papua New Guinea, but from the description of the Estate, it doesn’t look like a bad place to land after a tricky day on the trail. Up to 90 teams will be able to compete there, and the winners will be invited to attend a similar event at the famed Eastnor Castle in the UK, which the press release describes as “the spiritual home of Land Rover testing.”
Enjoy the pics, and cross your fingers we get some killer video of these mighty machines doing what they do best!
Photos: Jaguar Land Rover
