- Source: Camel Trophy
Camel Trophy was an off-road vehicle-oriented competition that was held annually between 1980 and 2000. It was best known for its use of Land Rover vehicles over challenging terrain. Occasionally called "The Olympics of 4x4", the event took its name from its main sponsor, the Camel cigarette brand.
Vehicles
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 over the course of the next twenty years, all of the Land Rover vehicle range were used. Range Rover, Land Rover Series III, Land Rover 90, Land Rover 110, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery, and Freelander vehicles all appeared in the distinctive "sandglow" colour scheme.
The cars were heavily modified by Land Rover Special Vehicles with a range of expedition, recovery, and safety equipment, including:
Safety Devices roll cages
Under body protection (skid plates) and steering guards
Modified electrical systems
Winches
Dixon Bate tow hitches and recovery points
Mantec snorkels
Transmission breathers
Michelin XCL or BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tyres
Upgraded suspension and transmission components
Auxiliary fuel tanks
Webasto fuel burning heaters
Brownchurch / Safety Devices roof racks
Hella driving, spot, fog, convoy and work lamps
Brownchurch Bull bars and bush wires
Flag poles
Event plaques, decals and sponsor logos (including Camel Trophy Adventure Wear/Bags/Boots/Watches, Lee Cougan, Perception, Sony, Scott USA, Safety Devices, Land Rover, Fjällräven, Warn, Malaysia Airlines, Superwinch, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell, Avon)
Expedition tools, Jerry cans, Pelican cases, Zarges boxes, high lift or New Concept air jacks, sand ladders, axes, ropes, drawbars, spades.
Garmin, Terratrip and other navigation and communication equipment
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, making restoring the vehicles to their original competition condition expensive and time-consuming.
List of events and vehicles used
Event results
Over the 18-year period in which the Camel Trophy featured Land Rover vehicles, Italian teams ultimately won the Camel Trophy three times - in 1982, 1984, and 1987. Teams from the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Turkey all won the Camel Trophy twice.
Camel Trophy's successor: the "G4 Challenge"
In 2003, competitors representing sixteen nations helped Land Rover fill the gap left after the demise of Camel Trophy. Surprisingly, the inaugural Land Rover G4 Challenge contained many of the elements of Camel Trophy 1998, which Land Rover had reportedly been disappointed with. The "ultimate global adventure" was a test of skill, stamina, and mental agility in four separate stages, each in a different time zone. The prize was a top-of-the-range Freelander or Range Rover. The winner Rudi Thoelen declined a Range Rover, and opted for two Defenders instead.
The 2006 Land Rover G4 Challenge promised to be tougher than the inaugural event and delivered a more vehicle-based focus. The competitors, working in bi-national teams faced thousands of miles of vehicle-based activity in Thailand, Laos, Brazil, and Bolivia.
The 2008-9 G4 Challenge, supporting the Red Cross and based in Mongolia, was cancelled in December 2008 in the middle of the selection stages due to the current global economic downturn. Land Rover were forced to end the event as a cost saving-measure to allow them to focus on product launches in 2009.
See also
Camel (cigarette)
Land Rover
Land Rover Series
Land Rover Defender
Range Rover Classic
Land Rover Discovery
Land Rover Freelander
References
External links
Camel Trophy Club Camel Trophy Club intends to keep the Camel Trophy spirit alive!
Camel Trophy Club photographic archive Hundreds of thousands of images available from Camel Trophy Club
Camel Trophy Club video channel YouTube is a good source of free-to-view Camel Trophy footage and the Camel Trophy Club channel includes exclusive interviews with Camel Trophy people.
Camel Trophy Shop Archived 9 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine Camel Trophy memorabilia
Camel Trophy Forever - Brazil Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Photos, events, history, hobbies, articles ...
Camel Trophy Portugal Photos, articles, vehicle replicas and events (in Portuguese)
SmokeandRubber.com Motorsort DVD Shop Re-release of the Camel Trophy events from 1990 to 1998 on DVD
The Land Rover FAQ Camel Trophy Info - list of event results and vehicles used
Camel Trophy Boats Sale of the original camel trophy boats used in the 2000 event. Good photos and info.
Camel Trophy Netherlands A group of Camel trophy enthusiasts from the Netherlands.
Camel Trophy Adventures - Bulgaria Camel Trophy Adventure Holidays in Bulgaria.
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