Land Rover Defender Works V8 Trophy
Do you remember the Land Rover Camel Trophy, which took place every year between 1980 and 1999? Anyone, who wanted to participate could apply by letter. The chosen ones eventually experienced an adventurous journey and an incomparable sense of community. They went to the Amazon, Sumatra, Madagascar or Australia. Impressively, the Land Rover vehicles used mostly survived these hardships without major damage. This cemented the good reputation of the Defender and Discovery.
405 hp V8 engine
Land Rover Classic now offers a limited special edition of the Defender inspired by the Camel Trophy. This comes as a bit of a surprise, as production of the classic off-roader ended back in 2016. The 25 examples of the Defender Works V8 Trophy are restored vehicles. The Classic department buys these on behalf of the customers. Alternatively, interested parties can also consign their own cars and have them converted. It doesn’t matter whether it is the short 90 or the four-door 110. The Defender is then given a more or less thorough overhaul, depending on its initial condition. In addition, there is a conversion to the five-liter V8 gasoline engine that fans already know from the Defender Works V8. This provides 298 kW/405 hp and 515 Nm of torque, which are transmitted to the all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed automatic from ZF. Brakes, steering and chassis also receive updates.
Extensively equipped for off-road driving
The exclusive ‘Eastnor Yellow’ paint serves as a colorful reminder of the Camel Trophy. This also includes the 16-inch steel wheels. Wheel arches, hood, roof rack and rear door wear ‘Narvik Black’ for contrast. LED headlights provide better illumination of the road at night. If this is ever insufficient, the auxiliary headlights mounted above the windshield can be activated. The special edition model is further distinguished by an all-terrain kit specially adapted for off-road use. Among other things, it consists of a wrinch, underbody protection, off-road tires, a snorkel and a multi-point expedition roll cage.
Infotainment system included
Inside, the Defender Works V8 Trophy gets a black leather interior with contrasting yellow stitching. Front passengers take their seats in Recaro sport seats. An analog clock by Elliot Brown sits centrally in the dash. Just below that is the Classic infotainment system control panel with integrated navigation and mobile device connectivity. To give the special Defender a try in keeping with its name, Land Rover Classic is planning an exclusive off-road adventure event for all 25 owners later this year. This is to take place over three days around Eastnor Castle in the UK. However, the further progress of the Corona pandemic must be awaited for exact planning. In Germany, the Land Rover Defender Works V8 Trophy is available exclusively from the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Centre in Essen. The British company didn’t provide any information on the price.
Images: Land Rover Classic
