Talking about the Camel Trophy was making it an adventure for almost 20 years , since the first test that traveled the Trans Amazon highway was carried out in 1980 aboard Jeeps . These cars were directly derived from the World War II Willys manufactured by, among others, Ford.
Yet for most of the two decades that this competition was held, the vehicles used were Land Rovers : initially Range Rovers, the last eight years Discovery; and between one and the other, from 1983 -coinciding with the incorporation to the Camel Trophy of a legend that would make it tremendously popular in Spain, Miguel de la Cuadra Salcedo- andUntil 1989, the workhorse for the selected adventurers of each country was always the same: the Defender .
With them they would face some of the most mythical Camel Trophy, such as those of Zaire, Brazil, Borneo, Australia, Madagascar -the first in which the Spanish won the prize for team spirit-, Sulawesi or Amazonas.
Of this model, chosen for its proverbial ability to move over the roughest terrain, its predecessor, the Series III, linked directly to the Santana produced in Linares, was even used for a year .
Land Rover resurrects the spirit of the Camel Trophy
Now, Land Rover Classic, the division of the firm that deals with the restoration of its automotive heritage,undertakes the project of producing a short series of the Defender with the spirit of the Camel: it is called Works V8 Trophy .
This Trophy version, of which only 25 units will be made, uses the 405 hp 5.0 V8 engine, already with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and improvements in suspension, steering and brakes. And, of course, equipped with everything necessary to face the toughest situations, such as the Heritage grille or LED headlights, in addition to the kit consisting of the front winch, anti-roll bars, the characteristic roof rack, raised air intake…
With 90 o 110 Station Wagon, will be painted Eastnor Yellowwith matching 16” sheet steel rims and specific tires for off-roading. Its interior, with black leather upholstery, incorporates Recaro seats, as well as an Elliot Brown-designed clock and includes the Land Rover Classic infotainment system with integrated navigation and mobile phone connectivity .
Defender Works V8 Trophy owners will be invited to compete for three days at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire , used by the Camel Trophy in the UK for the selection of contestants and events inspired by that adventure. For buyers and their co-drivers, it will be the first time they get behind the wheel of their Defender., and in which their names and the flag of their countries will be inscribed on the bodywork.
Orders for the Defender Works V8 Trophy 90 or 110 can be made directly to Land Rover Classic with prices starting at 195,000 pounds, at exchange, 222,629 euros, which makes it a whim for few.
