It is often said that the first vehicle ever seen by over one-third of the world’s population was a Land Rover. That staggering legacy didn’t happen by chance, but was forged by a burning desire to explore the unknown, to go where no one had gone before. Since 1948, that spirit of adventure has fueled the overland expeditions that made Land Rover a global icon and laid the foundation for the vehicles showcased in this exhibition.
Now, Land Rover Classic is bringing a fleet of ten legendary off-road explorers to Pebble Beach for a tribute to 75 years of global adventure. Dubbed “The Great Expeditions,” this curated collection tells the story of how Land Rover became the backbone of exploration across every continent and some of the harshest conceivable terrain on Earth.
Following last year’s celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal Land Rovers, the 2025 exhibit on the 17th fairway at Pebble Beach will shift focus from royalty to ruggedness, off-road prowess, and capability. Each 4×4 in this historic lineup represents a chapter in Land Rover’s story of endurance, resilience, and engineering brilliance.
“We’re proud to return with this exhibition. These cars make it clear that each classic has a story worth celebrating.” – Dominic Elms, Director of Land Rover Classic.
The collection includes the U.S. debut of Pollyanna, an early 1950 Series I driven solo by Australian adventurer Barbara Toy from London to Baghdad, the Iraqi capital today. That journey sparked a decades-long relationship between one woman and her Land Rover, resulting in multiple books and global expeditions that helped define the spirit of the British marque.
Alongside Pollyann, the Oxford, a 1955 Series I, with teams from the Oxford and Cambridge universities, took on the Far Eastern Expedition, which embarked on a journey from London to Singapore, when no vehicle had ever completed the route. Passing through 17 countries and covering 18,000 miles, the journey took over six months, even receiving BBC coverage by a young David Attenborough.
Then there’s Grizzly Torque, a 1957 Series I built for Canadian biologist Bristol Foster and artist Robert Bateman. Together they tackled four continents in a single 14-month trek, documenting wildlife and cultures through paint, film, and photography. That vehicle was lost for decades until it resurfaced in British Columbia and was painstakingly restored. Cambridge, the 1960 Series II that journeyed through South America and into the heart of the Amazon.
The 1971 Darien Gap Range Rover, another standout, conquered the notorious 250-mile jungle stretch between Panama and Colombia that breaks up the Pan-American highway. It took the team 99 days to get through the extreme terrain that covers the narrow patch of land that connects North and South America. Equipped with winches, roof racks, and grit, it proved that Range Rover was far more than a luxury nameplate and conquered the grueling 18,000-mile expedition from Alaska to Cape Horn.
The 1989 Great Divide Expedition Range Rover climbed to over 13,000 feet on its 1,100-mile route through the Colorado Rockies, while the 1993 La Ruta Maya Defender 110 navigated 1,500 miles through some of Central America’s harshest jungle tracks to honor Mayan heritage.
The exhibit will also feature icons from Land Rover’s legendary Camel Trophy years, like the 1998 Defender 110 used by the U.S. team in Tierra del Fuego in South America, and the 1993 NAS Defender 110, one of just 500 ever sold in the United States, which supported the La Ruta Maya expedition across Central America.
Riding on the success of its best-selling Defender, more recently, Land Rover also announced a heritage-inspired modern-day Defender 110 Trophy Edition. It celebrates the spirit of the legendary Camel Trophy for a new age of global adventurers in the new Defender Trophy.
Even more recent legends will make an appearance at the upcoming event. Case in point, the 2003 Discovery II from the LONGITUDE Expedition, which circumnavigated the globe for Parkinson’s research. During its 41,000-mile journey across 31 countries, the team also met his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, who signed the vehicle’s hood with a personal blessing.
The 2014 Silk Road Hybrid Range Rover, meanwhile, became the first diesel-electric hybrid to complete the legendary 13-country route from the company’s Solihull plant in England to Mumbai, home base of parent company Tata Group and the financial capital of India.
“This special class celebrates cars that forged new paths through some of the most difficult terrain on our planet. We thank Land Rover Classic and JLR North America for helping to curate this special class, as well as the British Motor Museum and individual owners who are sharing their cars here at Pebble Beach.” – Sandra Button, Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Beyond the vehicles, the experience will also include an expedition-themed hospitality area where guests can immerse themselves in the stories behind each machine. Both the Darien Gap and Continental Divide Range Rovers will also appear on Friday and Saturday at Range Rover House for exclusive previews, before the main event on Sunday, 17th August. If you are into 4x4s or are an off-road enthusiast, and will be attending car week this year, this is an exhibit to watch out for.
Source: Land Rover
