What image comes to mind when we say the name “Land Rover”?
The Land Rover Defender is a luxurious ride. With an available 518-horsepower supercharged V8 and adaptive air suspension, it has luxury car road manners and power. And it feels lush. The big news for the 2022 model year is that heated front seats are now standard, as is the 11.4-inch touchscreen display that controls the dual-zone climate control system and the 11-speaker sound system from audiophile favorite Meridian. Excuse us. That’s 15 speakers (for an upgrade fee).
But you didn’t picture a luxury car in an executive’s parking spot, did you? You pictured a photographer in a khaki shirt on the roof of a Land Rover, snapping shots of nearby cheetahs.
Roof Rack, Ladder, Winch
Land Rover knows what their image is, too. And they’re embracing it with the 2022 Land Rover Defender Trophy edition. It will be available in August and retails for $90,000 (plus a $1,350 destination fee).
The Trophy Edition is based on the 2022 Defender 110 P400 X-Dynamic SE, meaning it carries a 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that uses both a turbocharger and an electric supercharger to get 395 horsepower. It uses a permanent all-wheel-drive system to get you to where the cheetahs live.
Outside, it wears a wrap that the British SUV maker says is inspired by the Land Rover Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy, a limited edition of 25 re-engineered classic Defenders. The two-tone look features a dark khaki shade below a black roof. The door sports a vintage Land Rover Trophy decal.
Exploration-inspired features include an expedition roof rack, front undershield, a winch installation kit, mud flaps, and a deployable ladder mounted to the C-pillar to get our photographer to the expedition roof rack with all her gear. An Off-Road Capability Pack and cold climate package enable it to go nearly anywhere.
Buyers Get Enrolled in a Competition
But the most intriguing feature of the Trophy Edition is the trip. Buyers get an off-road adventure in the Land Rover U.S. Trophy Competition.
We’ll let Land Rover explain that one:
“Up to 90 teams (six waves of 15 teams maximum on a first-come, first-served basis) will compete at the legendary Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. starting from October 11, 2021. Competitors will face a number of on- and off-road challenges, including physical and team-building obstacles. Expert one-on-one coaching is part of the adventure, giving customers a unique opportunity to develop extreme driving techniques and skills in their own vehicle, before putting their training to the test.”
The winner goes on to a second competition at the UK’s Eastnor Castle next year.
