One of the few highlights of 2020 was the return of Land Rover’s Trek event, with the finals contested in new Defenders at the 4xFAR Festival in January 2020. Now the iconic competition is returning for a second modern edition, in September 2021.
One of the few highlights of 2020 was the return of Land Rover’s Trek event, with the finals contested in new Defenders at the 4xFAR Festival in January 2020. Now the iconic competition is returning for a second modern edition, in September 2021.
The first Trek was held in 1996, and the original competition was held in North America through 2003. It returned in 2019, with preliminaries held at The Biltmore in North Carolina using Discovery 5s, and finals held in Palm Springs in January 2020 with pre-production Defender 110s.
The 2021 Trek event will use 2022 Defender 110 SE P300s, with the 4-cylinder gasoline engine. This time they’ll be painted bright orange, hearkening back to the hue used for most Trek trucks in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Defenders are fully equipped, with both factory and aftermarket accessories. The genuine Expedition Roof Rack holds all sorts of off-road goodies, including an off-road jack, recovery boards, shovels, and LED spotlights. There’s a lightbar nested in the grille, and the genuine winch mount and winch behind the bumper. Details, decals, and plaques on the truck bring attention to how special it is. These trucks will presumably eventually be available for public sale -- the Discovery 5s from the Trek 2020 qualifiers were each sold by their respective competing dealer -- so there' potential for niche enthusiast communities in the future.
The first stage will be the qualifying trials, held at The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. From September 16-26, 2021, 80 teams will pilot 80 Defenders in qualifying trials. They’ll use the extensive off-road courses of the Land Rover Experience’s facility at The Biltmore, one of Land Rover’s four North American Experience centers. Presumably, there will be a final competition at a later date, with location to be announced.
With the return of Trek solidified with a second modern event, there’s lots to look forward to as a classical Land Rover tradition returns.
Check out some highlights of Trek 2020 here!
Photos by Christopher Jeyes.
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