There are SUVs that look tough, and then there are those that actually are.
One SUV deserving of the adjective is the 1998 Land Rover Defender 110 Camel Trophy currently up for grabs on Cars & Bids. The burly 4×4 comes with plenty of off-road bonafides, too, having participated in the off-road challenge it takes its name from.
The Camel Trophy was an annual off-road competition known as the “Olympics of 4×4” that was held between 1980 and 2000. Although Jeeps participated the first year, the field would be made up of various Land Rovers models until 1998, when the brand pulled out of the competition. Each of these off-roaders was heavily modified by the automaker’s Special Vehicle team and finished in a distinctive Sandglow Yello competition livery. The builds proved to be such a hit with enthusiasts, that the British marque has continued to release special editions inspired by the challenge in the decades since it ended.
This Defender is believed to have been the camera car for the 1998 event, which saw competitors trek across Argentina and Chile, according to an auction note from Doug DeMuro. As such, it’s also one of the last real Land Rover Camel Trophy 4x4s. It comes equipped with several choice off-roading goodies, like a Brownchurch front bumper, winch, a Mantec snorkel intake system, roll cage, and roof rack. Open up its doors, and you’ll find a black interior with its steering wheel and gauges on the righthand side and which still has its original Terrartrip 303 Rally computer.
Powering the SUV is a 2.5-liter turbodiesel inline-four. The brawny mill produced 111 hp and 195 ft lbs of torque, which is routed to all four wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox and two-speed transfer case. The 4×4 has 44,000 miles on it, so it’s far from being in mint condition, but what Camel Trophy Land Rover is? It was imported to the U.S. last year and is registered in Wyoming, so the winning bidder is unlikely to have any tricky title issues to deal with.
The Defender 110 Camel Trophy is up for auction on Cars & Bids through Thursday afternoon. Despite there being roughly 48 hours to go in the auction, bidding is only up to $25,250. It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see that number climb in the coming days.
Click here for more photos of the 1998 Land Rover Defender 110 Camel Trophy.
