Defender just brought back an iconic adventure trophy series—and flew Remix to Taiwan to take part in the action
New Zealand is a nation built on adventure. From our earliest navigators and settlers to the first man to scale the world’s highest mountain. And few cars are better built for adventure than a Defender.
Land Rover knew this might when they first got behind the Camel Trophy back in the 1980s, a truly iconic annual adventure series that saw contestants taking on some of the toughest terrains, racing across deserts around the world. Now, finally, 26 years after that adventure came to a close, it sees that history continued with the introduction of the Defender Trophy. A global competition designed to embody the brand's ethos of embracing the impossible, last week saw the Asia Pacific leg of the competition take place in Taiwan, where two finalists—one of them being Kiwi Mountain Biker Charles Murray—pushed ahead of the pack, and were chosen to represent the region when the competition heads to Africa later this year.
As media, we arrived in Kaohsiung a few days earlier to be put to our paces, taking on a version of the course more appropriate for people who spend their days at desks. Here, we drew on Defender’s limitless capabilities for technical driving challenges, off-road experiences, and a series of skill and team-based challenges not unlike those that Camel Trophy competitors have endured in the decades prior. When we returned to the site a few days later, the actual competitors (who had been camping in tents while we slept in plush hotel beds) were onto day two and the final stretch of this ultimate approach to endurance.
And while Charlie Murray’s success was no surprise to anyone who had been watching or competing alongside him over the weekend, it’s pretty cool to see him now representing the country on four wheels, rather than just two. Competing alongside him were creators Logan Dodds and Kristina Montgomerie, who have built their respective audiences sharing their love for the outdoors, and adventure advocate Lily Hillary, the granddaughter of Sir Edmund Hillary, who was one of two competitors to take out the Team Spirit Award—a testament to her skills on the competition field, and that enduring Kiwi attitude.
Alongside this competition saw the introduction of the Defender 110 Trophy Edition—after all, an epic expedition needs an epic vehicle. This release marks the introduction of two new heritage-inspired colours, which Land Rover explains are designed to represent adventure to a new audience of enthusiasts. Available exclusively in either Deep Sandglow Yellow or Keswick Green. Deep Sandglow Yellow is a modern interpretation of a colour synonymous with Defenders used on international Trophy-style events, while Keswick Green celebrates rural exploration in Defender’s UK homeland.
When it comes to function, not just form, this Defender is a car with serious heft. Electronic Air Suspension offers a comfortable ride on the messiest of drives, and the clever Terrain Response® System allows the driver to adjust the vehicle's approach to any road ahead. There’s a maximum ground clearance of 293mm, and a wading depth of 900mm. And for the collectors inspired by the car’s rich heritage, this Defender comes with a Trophy Edition Bonnet Decal and Badge, alongside an Illuminated Metal Treadplate with Trophy Edition Branding and Laser Etched Trophy Edition Script on End Cap. Built for adventure, the car also includes a Side Mounted Gear Carrier, Expedition Roof Rack, Raised Air Intake, and Side Mounted Ladder, with an Optional Integrated Air Compressor for pumping up tyres and Winch for the heartiest of adventures, alongside all the protective gear needed to ensure the car looks like it belongs in the city when required.
It is also worth adding that, according to the serious off-road enthusiasts I was travelling with, even the lower-spec D250 was capable of travelling everywhere the Trophy Model did during the trip, showcasing the platform's clever capability beyond this special collector's edition.
Having spent our days in Taiwan test-driving this model down freeways and up rugged mountains, no further proof is needed for me to say that this is truly a car suited for every lifestyle. It would be at home parked outside the Remix office in Ponsonby as much as it would be scaling ski field roads for an epic winter adventure. A car very much designed to embrace the impossible indeed.
Advertisement
