LONDON: There were only 25 of them up for grabs but deep-pocketed enthusiasts have snapped up all the adventure-ready Defender Works V8 Trophy vehicles from Land Rover Classic within a few days.
Prices start at a whopping £195,000 (RM1.1mil) for the Works V8 Trophy which has been re-engineered by Land Rover's heritage department. The car comes with a 405hp, 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, uprated brakes and a handling kit.
Finished in distinctive "sandglow" yellow, the rugged model is a tribute to the vehicles which took part in the annual Camel Trophy competition from 1980 to 1998. The rallye was sponsored by the Camel cigarette company and took place in Mongolia, Tanzania and Siberia, among other far-flung places.
Like the original cars, the go-anywhere specification includes a front winch, multi-point expedition cage, roof rack, underbody protection, A-bar, raised air intake, spotlights and mud-terrain tyres. Inside there are body-hugging Recaro leather sports seats,
"The Land Rover Defender has always been more than just a vehicle, its engineering capability and suitability for overland expedition and all-terrain competition means it’s renowned with getting away from it all," said Land Rover Classic director Dan Pink.
Later this year, Works V8 Trophy customers will be invited to compete in an exclusive three-day adventure in England's Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire – the spiritual home of Land Rover all-terrain training, testing and development. This will also be the first time customers get to drive their car.
