CAMEL TROPHY
The Olympics of 4×4
Camel Trophy originated in 1980 with three Jeep-equipped German teams exploring the Amazon Basin. After that first event, the organisers turned to Land Rover for support, and the tabacco company Camel for primary sponsorship. As a result all vehicles appeared in the distinctive "sand glow" colour scheme and they would carry a "Camel Trophy" shield on the front of their roof rack. Over the course of the next twenty years, all of the Land Rover vehicle ranges were used.
After the somewhat weak 1998 event, and subsequent discontinuation after the boat-only 2000 event, Land Rover dropped out of the Camel Trophy and went on to launch a successor called the G4 Challenge that ran until 2008.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
22-year-old Nick Dimbleby on his first Camel Trophy in 1996
SUMATRA TRIBUTE 2022 - Re-tracking the Camel Trophy Sumatra 1981 Route
SUMATRA TRIBUTE 2022 - Re-tracking the Camel Trophy Sumatra 1981 Route
1991 Camel Trophy Defender - Bring-a-Trailer
Generally speaking, except for support and specialist vehicles, the Land Rovers were only used for one event. Some competitors purchased their vehicles and many remained in the host country. Consequently, those vehicles that returned to the United Kingdom were highly sought after as they were low mileage - but they were "Camel Trophy miles". They were stripped of most of their equipment by Land Rover before they were released and restoring the vehicles to their original condition is expensive and time-consuming.