After receiving numerous requests over the past few
years to develop and build an armored version of the XC90, Volvo has finally
come through. Work on the car started just over two years ago, and now the finished
product features a certified VPAM VR8 rating, which means it has 360-degree
ballistic resistance as well as explosive resistance – a great way to put
customers’ minds at ease.
This armored version of the XC90 is based on the T6
AWD Inscription model. Once built, the car makes its way from the Torslanda
plant in Sweden to TRASCO Bremen in Germany, a company that specializes in
building high-quality vehicles with high protection ratings.
Protecting you from bullets and explosives is the
high-strength steel armor, some 10 mm thick. Meanwhile, the
thickness of the glass can be up to 50 mm. In total, the armor
adds approximately 1,400 kg to the weight of the XC90, meaning that
once you load the car up with five occupants, you’re looking at an overall
weight of 4,490 kg – the Swedish crossover is of course fitted with
an uprated suspension and new brakes.
Buyers can already place their order for an armored
XC90, with first customer deliveries scheduled for the end of this year. The automaker will also be
selling a “light” version of an armored car, built on either the XC60 T6 AWD
Inscription or XC90 T6 AWD Inscription. These cars are intended for Latin
America and Europe and sales are expected to commence in the first half of 2020.
