Latest news with #CamelTrophy
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Land Rover unveils new 1980s classic style 4x4 but there's one big catch
Many of the original Land Rover competition vehicles from the iconic Camel Trophy events, which ran from 1981 to 2000, are still on the road today and going strong Land Rover has launched a beast of a car that retro fans will love - but the brand-spanking new model comes with one significant drawback. Paying tribute to a legendary design from the 1980s, celebrated for its extraordinary off-road performance in some of the world 's toughest environments, Land Rover has unveiled a new Defender Trophy Edition. It is an homage to the Camel Trophy vehicles from 40 years ago, complete with matching accessories and a retro livery. The Camel Trophy itself began in 1980, originally featuring three German teams driving Jeeps across the Amazon Basin. Described as 'neither a race nor a rally' by Iain Chapman, the event's director for over a decade, the Camel Trophy was an off-roading expedition where participating teams tested their 4x4 driving and mechanical skills, endurance, courage, stamina, perseverance and resilience against some of the most challenging natural conditions on the planet. After the inaugural event, organisers partnered with Land Rover and secured primary sponsorship from tobacco company Camel, giving the event its iconic name. Over the next twenty years, the competition took place in challenging locations such as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Madagascar, Samoa, Siberia, Malaysia, and many other demanding terrains. Throughout the event's history, a wide range of Land Rover vehicles participated — Range Rover, Land Rover Series III, Land Rover 90, Land Rover 110, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery and Freelander. All of which were painted in the distinctive 'Sandglow' yellow associated with the Camel brand. This signature colour is one of two livery options available for the new Defender Trophy Edition, which will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from Thursday, July 10 to Sunday, July 13. However, there is a significant catch with this luxury retro revival model — the price. The new Trophy Edition is offered exclusively as the mid-size, five-door Defender 110, featuring unique 20-inch alloy wheels and a choice between the aforementioned Deep Sandglow Yellow — evoking the Camel Trophy heritage — or Keswick Green. Both versions include the option of a contrasting black bonnet, wheel arches, roof and black leather interior. For those seeking even more authenticity, Land Rover offers a Trophy Edition accessory pack for £4,995. This features a roof rack, retractable roof ladder (for easier access to roof-mounted gear), air-intake snorkel (for water crossings) and classic-style mud flaps, as well as gloss black side panniers providing 'extra space for muddy, wet or sandy items'you would rather not store in the boot. Land Rover said the Trophy Edition, which omits the Camel name for advertising reasons, is a celebration of the brand's 'rich history of adventure challenges', noting that the classic yellow vehicles are 'synonymous with Defenders used on international Trophy-style events'. The price for the Trophy Edition starts at £89,810, a notable increase over the £62,795 base for a standard Defender 110. While the Trophy Edition's price is steep, it is only half the cost of a similar commemorative model produced by Land Rover Classic in 2021. That limited run included just 25 examples of the old Defender, each inspired by the Camel Trophy and featuring period-correct liveries and modifications. Despite a price tag of £195,000 per car, the Works V8 Trophy line sold out in just three days, prompting Land Rover to build another 25 units to meet demand. And it's worth noting — many of the original competition Land Rovers from Camel Trophy events, which ran from 1981 to 2000, are still on the road today and going strong.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
JLR returns Defender to competition past with new Trophy Edition
Latest special edition coincides with the newly named Defender Challenge that kicks-off next year in association with the Tusk conservation programme. JLR has taken inspiration from the G4 Challenge and Camel Trophy with the new Defender Trophy Edition. Image: JLR JLR has unveiled its latest special edition Defender that celebrates that only past events like the G4 Challenge and Camel Trophy, but its partnership with the Tusk conservation programme. Changes Now available as a limited edition based on the Defender 110 D350 X-Dynamic SE, the Trophy Edition takes the name of the latter event, but without the obvious reference to its former sponsor. ALSO READ: JLR spruces 'Land Rover' Defender up once again inside and out Available in two colours, Deep Sandglow Yellow or Keswick Green, the Trophy's unique exterior additions consist of gloss black 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres, gloss black wheel arch cladding, darkened front and rear scuffplates, special Trophy badges, a black bonnet and additional black finishes on the recovery hooks, brake calipers and side body moulds. Trophy can be had in two colours, the depicted hue being Keswick Green. Image: JLR As standard, the otherwise optional accessories, the roof rack, side-mounted storage boxes, snorkel, mud flaps and deployable side ladder, are all included from the start. Crossbeam that across the dashboard has been colour-matched with the selected body colour. Image: JLR Inside, the, crossbeam which runs the width of the passenger's side dashboard, has been colour matched with the selected body colour, and illuminated Trophy treadplates fitted upon entry. Ebony Windsor leather rounds the interior off. Same power Up front, the Defender Trophy Edition remains mechanically unchanged from the X-Dynamic SE, meaning as is outputs of 257kW/700Nm from the 3.0-litre Ingenium straight-six turbodiesel engine. Trophy treadplates feature upon entry. Image: JLR Sending the amount of twist to all four wheels once again falls to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox. Defender Trophy event Now available, the Trophy's arrival coincides with the revived Defender Trophy, of which applications close on 31 July. Trophy badge has been placed on the outer edge of the dashboard. Image: JLR A process of regional eliminations in 50 countries will then take place, until the event final kicks-off next year in Africa in co-operation with Tusk. As in the original Camel Trophy, teams will be put through a series of challenges involving physical, driving and ingenuity. Trophy decal has been placed on the C-pillar. Image: JLR Submissions can be done via the link – Price The Defender Trophy Edition meanwhile carries a price tag of R2 085 600, which includes a five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan as standard. NOW READ: Land Rover Defender's County return leaves a mark worth having
Car and Driver
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Land Rover Reveals Defender 110 Trophy Edition and a Competition for It to Conquer
Land Rover has announced a special-edition 2026 Defender 110 Trophy Edition, which features expedition gear and callback Trophy design elements. The Defender 110 Trophy Edition features a deployable roof ladder, a large roof rack, a raised air intake, and 20-inch wheels fitted with all-terrain tires. To challenge the new model, Land Rover has created a rigorous off-road Defender Trophy competition that will be shared online to promote African wildlife conservation efforts. One of Car and Driver's own having narrowly avoided death from all angles behind the wheel of a Land Rover Discovery TDi during the 1993 Camel Trophy in Borneo, we can attest that the British marque and its vehicles know how to take adventure to the ragged edge. While the notoriously rigorous Camel Trophy and subsequent G4 Challenge are no more, Land Rover is introducing a new Defender Trophy international adventure series for 2026 and a special Defender 110 Trophy Edition model to go with it. Land Rover The new Defender 110 Trophy Edition will serve as the competition's off-road weapon of choice, fitted with celebratory styling elements and expedition-ready parts. The special-edition model is offered in two colors: Deep Sandglow Yellow or Kenswick Green, with the former recalling a staple hue on historic Camel Trophy vehicles and the latter celebrating the U.K.'s lush greenery. Exclusive Trophy decals also adorn its gloss black hood, C-pillars, and rear tailgate. On the inside, Ebony Windsor Leather seats preserve some luxury in the cabin. Land Rover Apart from the unique colors and decals, most of the Trophy Edition's external modifications are already available on the standard four-door Defender via the $5400 Explorer Pack, but they'll be put to good use during the Defender Trophy. To reduce underbody threats, it comes with a front undershield, a rear scuff plate, and wheel arch protection. Gloss black 20-inch wheels fitted with all-terrain tires should also make quick work of iffy topography, and a raised air intake is meant to filter out any airborne dust clouds. Since gear storage is aways a critical aspect of lengthy safaris, the Trophy Edition features a large roof rack, a side-mounted gear carrier, and a deployable roof ladder to reach objects stowed overhead. The Trophy Edition is available to order now, priced at the equivalent of about $121,000. Final Will Be in Africa in 2026 Ultimately, the Discovery Trophy is meant to put the new special-edition model to the test, but contestants from more than 50 countries will initially duke it out on the regional level before moving on to a rigorous global final in Africa. Land Rover hasn't said what the exact hurdles will be, only that the contestants will face "driving challenges, ingenuity challenges, and physical challenges" along the way. The African final will be hosted in the fall of 2026 by Tusk, an African wildlife conservation group, with the teams' progress to be shared online. After completing the adventure, Land Rover says, the winner will "get the opportunity to leave a positive legacy with the people and places touched by Defender Trophy." If you're in a participating country, at least 23 years old, can swim 50 meters, can drive internationally, and speak fluent English, your chance to get dirty is coming. Austin Parsons Associate Editor Austin's car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale. Eventually, Hot Wheels weren't cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father's full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked. That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table. Read full bio
The Drive
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Land Rover's New Competition Sounds Like ‘Survivor' but With Cars
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The new Land Rover Defender 110 Trophy Edition will come in Deep Sandglow Yellow or Keswick Green, which is reason enough to celebrate its existence. But the cooler news that the British brand dropped is the Defender Trophy itself. Rover is getting back into epic adventure contests. From 1980 through the end of the '90s, Land Rover famously ran a long series of epic international endurance challenges known as the Camel Trophy. The basic idea was to show off the brand's wares and reinforce its image as a safari machine for the khaki-shirt set, and usually Land Rover's latest model would be forced through a grueling series of summer-camp-from-hell overland challenges by teams of hearty adventurers from all over the place. If you're interested in going deeper there, we found a great 90-minute video about it and once ran a story on the magnificnce of the event's trophies themselves. Later, as cig-brand sponsorship fell out of fashion, Land Rover did something similar called the G4 Challenge, featuring orange livery on the vehicles instead of yellow. But that one only ran for a few years. I think the economic situation at the end of the '00s effectively killed it. Since the re-introduction of the Defender as we know it today, it's been used in some smaller outdoorsmanship-themed contests like the TReK Competition, but nothing quite on the grandiose scale of the original Camel Trophy events (though the 2020 Defender launch in Namibia was pretty mind-blowing). I guess that little square symbol must be the new Defender Trophy logo. Land Rover The new Defender Trophy, taking place in 2026, looks like a pretty big step up in scale. Competitors from all over the world will have to make it through local events to qualify for the final, some kind of to-be-named challenge in Africa in conjunction with Tusk. Tusk is a wildlife protection non-profit that works to help care for Africa's megafauna (elephants and such) and a long-term Land Rover brand collaborator. As for the Defender Trophy Edition vehicle, it looks like its pretty much just a regular four-door with all the optional camping gear and steel wheels in black, plus your pick of those two great colors. Land Rover has been oddly stingy with pictures of its pretty paint options, but restoration outfit Brooklyn Coachworks here in NY has done a few builds in Sandglow and Keswick Green, as you can see here. Brooklyn Coachworks For those of you who might want to test your mettle chasing the trophy, I'll drop in the key lines from Land Rover's official call to action here: 'Defender Trophy entrants will face obstacles and a selection of mental and physical challenges in a unique test of wit, willpower and teamwork. Epic Adventure, Greater Purpose. Applications for the North American market will be open soon … When applications close, the countdown to next year's global final will begin. Applicants from more than 50 countries will begin their quest to reach the epic global final through a series of local selection events. Early next year, regional finals will identify the national winners who will head to Africa for the global final in Autumn 2026. 'Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!' (That's how you write out the first line of the Lion King song.) Land Rover More details of the final's unique format will follow, but global finalists will go up against one another across a series of stages as part of one epic adventure, hosted in Africa with Defender conservation partner Tusk. Competitors will be scored individually but compete in pairs, with the lowest‑ranked competitor given the first pick of potential teammates ahead of each stage. Each stage will see the teams complete a variety of Driving Challenges, Ingenuity Challenges and Physical Challenges.' And here's a little expansion of those three categories: Driving Challenges – Demanding tests of driving ability and navigation skills as the teams tackle tough trails, rocky inclines and hidden drops. Ingenuity Challenges – Innovation will be the key to success as our teams have to think fast, work smart and keep their cool. Physical Challenges – Daunting feats of physical strength, coordination and teamwork as our teams traverse canyons and cross rivers. To apply, you need to reside in 'a participating country' (details to follow), be over 23 years old, be able to swim 50 meters, be able to drive and travel internationally, be fluent in English. I'm sure Land Rover will also be looking for off-road driving and outdoorsy experience, too. 'An unstoppable spirit is essential,' the site says. You can sign up for alerts on the Defender Trophy site and drop them app when they open if you're keen. Who's in? Have any Land Rover Camel Trophy, G4 Challenge, or TReK experience? I'd love to hear about it—hit me up at
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Land Rover launches new model paying homage to 1980s classic 4X4 - and it's not cheap
Land Rover has unveiled a special-edition Defender to pay homage to a classic model that proved the incredible off-road capabilities of the British 4X4s in the 1980s by racing across some of the world's most gruelling terrains. New 'Trophy Edition' cars get accessories and a retro livery to match the Camel Trophy vehicles from some 40 years ago. The Camel Trophy was an off-roading competition that originated in 1980 with three Jeep-equipped German teams racing across the Amazon Basin. After that first event, organisers turned to Land Rover for support and the tobacco company, Camel, for primary sponsorship, hence the name. Races took place across various locations, including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Madagascar, Samoa, Siberia, Malaysia and a host of other testing landscapes. Over the course of 20 years, all types of Land Rover cars were provided for the annual adventure challenge - Range Rover, Land Rover Series III, Land Rover 90, Land Rover 110, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery and Freelander - with all vehicles appearing in the famous cigarette brand's distinctive 'Sandglow' colour scheme. And this is one of two livery options for the new Defender Trophy Edition, which makes its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month. But it isn't going to be cheap... The new special edition model is only available as the mid-size, five-door, Defender 110. It features unique 20-inch alloy wheels and a choice of Camel Trophy-appropriate Deep Sandglow Yellow - or Keswick Green paint. Both options come with contrasting black bonnet, wheel arches and roof – and a black leather interior. The dashboard panel is painted to match the tone of the car's bodywork. Customers can also opt for a Trophy Edition accessory pack, which costs £4,995 and bolts on a roof rack, retractable roof ladder to make it easier to access objects stored overhead, an air-intake snorkel to tackle water-logged routes, and classic-style mud flaps. The pack even includes gloss black side panniers that provide 'extra space for muddy, wet or sandy items' you don't want to store in the boot. All versions of the new special edition car - which costs from £89,810 - come with black leather interior with accents to match the external bodywork Land Rover says Trophy Edition - which has dropped the 'Camel' name for obvious advertising reasons - celebrates the 'rich history of adventure challenges', adding that the iconic yellow vehicles of the past are 'synonymous with Defenders used on international Trophy-style events'. Without the optional accessory pack, prices start from £89,810 - a mark-up on the £62,795 asking price for a standard Defender 110. Britons will get to see it in the flesh for the first time at Goodwood during the Festival of Speed event taking place between 10 and 13 July. While it does come with a premium price tag, it's half the cost of the commemorative version produced by Land Rover Classic in 2021. The heritage arm of the British car firm made 25 examples of the old-school Defender inspired by the Camel Trophy, with liveries and modifications mimicking those of the expedition vehicles. Despite an eye-watering price tag of £195,000 per car, Land Rover sold out of the Works V8 Trophy line in three days. Consequently, the Classic department commissioned another 25 models to appease its high demand. And many of the original competition cars used in the event between 1981 and the final year in 2000 are still on the road today. Some competitors purchased their vehicles, meaning there are examples dotted across continents and, consequently, are highly sought after if proven to have covered genuine Camel Trophy miles. In March, Iconic Auctioneers sold a 1992 Defender 110 Camel Trophy - which participated in 1993 - for £34,875. This was despite it being in a rather sorry state of disrepair. Last year, Collecting Cars sold another genuine 1984 Camel Trophy Defender in far better condition for £31,500. However, experts say these cars are ripe for appreciation, with collectors eager to find ex-competition cars. In the 20-year history of the event, a UK team won it only once. In 1989, brothers Bob and Joe Ives took first place after tackling the 1,062-mile route through the Brazilian rainforest from Alta Floresta to Manaus in just three weeks driving a Defender 110. In recognition of their achievement, the brothers were awarded the Royal Automobile Club Segrave Trophy - an award reserved for outstanding transport achievements that has includes esteemed recipients such as Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Lewis Hamilton MBE and John Blashford-Snell OBE. The brothers went on to be off-road advisors for BBC's Top Gear and The Grand Tour special features on Amazon Prime.
