This is the new Beijing Auto BJ80 Defender, an
armored variant of the Beijing Auto BJ80 SUV. It looks absolutely mad, in
proper Bat-mobile stealth style. The body is clad in 2.3 mm thick steel plating
and the windows are almost a centimeter thick. Oddly, it also has a sunroof.
The interior comes with loads of leather and wood
and two individual seats in the back. The seats are wide and positioned so
close together that there wasn't any space left for an armrest.
Power comes from a 2.3 liter turbo with 250 hp and
350 Nm, mated to a six-speed automatic. This engine was originally developed by
Saab where it powered the 9-3 and 9-5. Beijing Auto bough the rights to the
engine from General Motors in 2009.
It is a very expensive car, costing a massive US$ 133,000, whereas the standard BJ80 goes for just US$ 45,000. That's a lot of
extra cash for some extra steel. But the looks are probably worth it.
