Defender, which recently became a standalone brand within the Jaguar-Land Rover group, announced an off-road adventure that channels the spirit of the Camel Trophy. It’s called Defender Trophy, because naming a competition after a brand of cigarettes wouldn’t fly in 2025, but the idea is the same: It aims to test the strength of cars and people by putting both through a series of grueling off-road challenges.
How grueling? Well, we’ll need to be patient to find out. Full details about the Defender Trophy haven’t been released yet, but we’re told that “entrants will face obstacles and a selection of mental and physical challenges in a unique test of wit, willpower, and teamwork.” Judging by this new Defender’s photos, participants will need to navigate a series of difficult off-road conditions in the most literal sense of the term: The route will take them where there are no roads, such as across a river on a raft and through tight canyons.
Ingenuity will play a role in the competition. Participants will encounter situations that they’ll have to think their way out of, whether they’re on foot or driving. Physical trials appear on the program as well.
Not everyone who lands a spot in the Defender Trophy will land in Africa in the fall of 2026. Participants will have to make their way through a series of local and regional events, and only national winners will advance to the global final. Once there, they’ll need to compete in pairs, but they’ll be scored individually.
The winner will earn a spot on a conservation mission led by Tusk, a non-profit founded in 1990 to raise awareness about wildlife conservation in Africa. Again, more specific details about the mission aren’t available.
If you think you’re up for it, you can apply to participate in the Defender Trophy by visiting the event’s site. Read the fine-print, though. Some of the terms and conditions include residing in a participating country (there are over 50, including the United States), being over 23 years old, being able to swim for 50 meters (about 55 yards), being allowed to drive and travel internationally, and speaking fluent English.
Defender was more eager to talk about the 110 Trophy Edition vehicle it designed for the event. Shown above, and on sale now in select markets, the SUV is available in two new colors called Deep Sandglow Yellow and Keswick Green, respectively. The former is inspired by the yellow-finished SUVs that participated in the Camel Trophy between 1980 and 2000. Gloss black trim comes standard regardless of what color you choose, as does a set of 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped by all-terrain tires and edition-specific stickers.
Many of the cool-looking extras shown in Defender’s images are optional. You can order the 110 Trophy Edition with a roof rack, a folding ladder, a snorkel, and a side-mounted gear carrier, but you’ll have to pay more. Pricing starts at £89,810, which represents about $121,000 at the current conversion rate.
First held in 1980 to promote Camel cigarettes, the Camel Trophy was envisioned as a race that made the Paris-Dakar look easy. It took competitors through some of the least hospitable terrain on the planet and pretty much left them to their own devices: They had to figure out a way to the finish by counting only on their car, a basic set of tools, and themselves. If a car broke, they had to fix it. If the road didn’t exist, they had to improvise and keep going. Heat, humidity, and sketchy bridges characterized the Camel Trophy.
Three teams driving Brazilian-built Ford U50s participated in the first edition. Camel quickly enlisted Land Rover as a co-sponsor, and the annual event has become associated with the British company since. It has been held in several countries, including Australia, Madagascar, Guyana, and Malaysia. John Phillips, a Hagerty contributor who was part of the team that won the 1993 Camel Trophy, wrote that his colleagues started naming the leeches during the event. His story is well worth a read: He describes the animals, the bugs, the diseases, the accidents, and the roadside repairs that he experienced during the three-week trip.
“It occurred to me that we had become Army Rangers but with weapon training confined to Swiss Army knives,” Phillips summed up. “If you’re a real Ranger, feel free to write a letter of outrage. But I bet $50 we could have joined your unit undetected, apart from our phenomenal personal body stench, and outdriven any of you in the jungle.” He added that he had to go through six weeks of training before the event.
Land Rover is being kind by putting Defender Trophy participants behind the wheel of a 110. It’s a pretty nice SUV, pegged in the luxury segment and thus equipped with a long list of creature comforts and driving aids.
Phillips wasn’t naming leeches from the comfort of an air-conditioned cabin with leather upholstery. His team spent three weeks in a first-generation Discovery, which was cramped, hot, and pretty damn basic compared to even the most basic off-roader sold new today. Others have driven the Camel Trophy in a 110, which was even more tractor-like than the Disco, while the Range Rover has participated a few times.
Cast in that light, we’re looking forward to finding out how the Defender Trophy compares.
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