South Africa-based company SVI Engineering has unveiled an armored SUV for eight passengers. Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 platform, the car is called “SVI MAX 3 Troopie” and is largely identical to the MAX 3 Concept revealed last November – except for the drivetrain.
The plating is so thorough, it can be
difficult to recognize the donor car under it. The company claims it has
followed all the strict rules of armored vehicle production when designing and
assembling the three-door body. Note the loopholes all around and the roof
hatch that also serves as an emergency exit.
The tech stays stock, which for this
specific modification means a 4.5-liter turbo diesel V8 rated at 205 PS and 430 Nm of torque. A manual transmission drives all
four wheels. In contrast, the four-seat pickup version offered by SVI is also
available on request with a lesser 4.2-liter diesel (172 PS)
or a 4.0-liter petrol V8 (231 PS).
The manufacturer claims the armoring
corresponds to the BR6 and (optional) BR7 standards. As such, it can withstand
sustained AK-47 gunfire, while the BR7 version can also survive the explosions
of a few grenades or smaller land mines. Rather than targeting the military
with its creation, SVI is offering it to South African police forces, convoy
services, and security guards.
Pricing is determined based on the
condition of the donor car used for the conversion and the purpose of the
armored SUV. The entry-level sticker is US$ 128,000, a fair bit above the US$ 103,000 the company asks for the four-seat truck mentioned above.
