Land Rover today announced a new Trophy Edition of the Defender that comes with a variety of off-road additions that will be perfect to go on a special one-day off-road adventure competition organized by the automaker at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. While not mentioned, Land Rover’s inspiration clearly comes from the Camel Trophy off-roading challenge held annually between the 1980s and early 2000s.
The company will build just 220 Trophy Edition Defenders and all of them are allocated to the U.S. Each comes with an expedition roof rack, a front undershield, a deployable ladder, a winch installation kit, mud flaps, an integrated air compressor, and deep-sided rubber mats to help you out off-road. Based on the 2022 Defender 110 P400 X-Dynamic S, the SUV features a tow hitch receiver, ClearSight RearView, an air suspension, the cold climate pack and an 11.4-inch touchscreen, as well as the Off-road Pack and the Advanced Off-road capability Pack.
The color scheme, meanwhile, is achieved thanks to a special vehicle wrap that was inspired by the Defender Works V8 Trophy. Unveiled in February of this year, the classic Defender is limited to just 25 examples and features a selection of off-road addition, as well as a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that makes 399 hp and 515 Nm of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with a two-speed transfer box. The modern Defender makes use of a 3.0-liter inline-six that delivers 395 hp and 550 Nm of torque. Pricing will be much more reasonable, with the new model starting at US$ 90,000, whereas the V8 classic model costs a cool US$ 270,000.
The 220 people who buy a 2022 Defender Trophy Edition will be offered an opportunity to enter a one-day off-road adventure in the form of the Land Rover U.S. Trophy Competition. Only the first 90 who enter will be allowed into the competition that takes place at the Biltmore Estate in Ashemore, North Carolina. Competitors will face on- and off-road challenges, as well as physical and team-building exercises. They will also receive one-on-one coaching to develop their driving skills and techniques before entering the competition.
It sounds a bit like the Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo except that the winning team, as determined by a panel of seasoned judges, will be invited to the Land Rover Trophy Competition that’s set to take place in early 2022 at the Eastnor Castle in the U.K., the spiritual home of Land Rover.
