Land Rover Reveals Defender 110 Trophy Edition and a Competition for It to Conquer
Land Rover has announced a special-edition 2026 Defender 110 Trophy Edition, which features expedition gear and callback Trophy design elements.
The Defender 110 Trophy Edition features a deployable roof ladder, a large roof rack, a raised air intake, and 20-inch wheels fitted with all-terrain tires.
To challenge the new model, Land Rover has created a rigorous off-road Defender Trophy competition that will be shared online to promote African wildlife conservation efforts.
One of Car and Driver's own having narrowly avoided death from all angles behind the wheel of a Land Rover Discovery TDi during the 1993 Camel Trophy in Borneo, we can attest that the British marque and its vehicles know how to take adventure to the ragged edge. While the notoriously rigorous Camel Trophy and subsequent G4 Challenge are no more, Land Rover is introducing a new Defender Trophy international adventure series for 2026 and a special Defender 110 Trophy Edition model to go with it.
Land Rover
The new Defender 110 Trophy Edition will serve as the competition's off-road weapon of choice, fitted with celebratory styling elements and expedition-ready parts. The special-edition model is offered in two colors: Deep Sandglow Yellow or Kenswick Green, with the former recalling a staple hue on historic Camel Trophy vehicles and the latter celebrating the U.K.'s lush greenery. Exclusive Trophy decals also adorn its gloss black hood, C-pillars, and rear tailgate. On the inside, Ebony Windsor Leather seats preserve some luxury in the cabin.
Land Rover
Apart from the unique colors and decals, most of the Trophy Edition's external modifications are already available on the standard four-door Defender via the $5400 Explorer Pack, but they'll be put to good use during the Defender Trophy. To reduce underbody threats, it comes with a front undershield, a rear scuff plate, and wheel arch protection. Gloss black 20-inch wheels fitted with all-terrain tires should also make quick work of iffy topography, and a raised air intake is meant to filter out any airborne dust clouds. Since gear storage is aways a critical aspect of lengthy safaris, the Trophy Edition features a large roof rack, a side-mounted gear carrier, and a deployable roof ladder to reach objects stowed overhead.
The Trophy Edition is available to order now, priced at the equivalent of about $121,000.
Final Will Be in Africa in 2026
Ultimately, the Discovery Trophy is meant to put the new special-edition model to the test, but contestants from more than 50 countries will initially duke it out on the regional level before moving on to a rigorous global final in Africa. Land Rover hasn't said what the exact hurdles will be, only that the contestants will face "driving challenges, ingenuity challenges, and physical challenges" along the way.
The African final will be hosted in the fall of 2026 by Tusk, an African wildlife conservation group, with the teams' progress to be shared online. After completing the adventure, Land Rover says, the winner will "get the opportunity to leave a positive legacy with the people and places touched by Defender Trophy."
If you're in a participating country, at least 23 years old, can swim 50 meters, can drive internationally, and speak fluent English, your chance to get dirty is coming.
Austin Parsons
Associate Editor
Austin's car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale. Eventually, Hot Wheels weren't cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father's full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked. That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table. Read full bio
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