Another dispatch from the "Have it Your Way" department, also known as Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations division. (SVO). This time, the model on offer is an incredible up-armored Range Rover. The starting point is a top-of-the-line Range Rover Autobiography Edition.
The Range Rover Sentinel is SVO’s first armored vehicle, and will be hand built at its Oxford Road facility. The thick-skinned Rangie is engineered to provide the highest levels of protection an SUV can offer against a wide variety of attacks. It combines all of the drivability of the Range Rover with outstanding occupant protection with no visual clues as to its armored nature.
The Sentinel is built around a specially developed armored passenger cell, made of super-high-strength steel, with laminated armor privacy glass. According to Land Rover, it can repel 7.62mm high velocity, armor piercing incendiary bullets, up to 15kg TNT blasts, and even grenade explosions from both beneath the floor and above the roof.
The original seating capacity is unchanged, including the provision for 60/40 split fold-down rear seats. A payload of up to 650kg is possible due to an uprated dynamic stability control and uprated suspension. All of which helps to ensure that when you are tearing away form an ambush, the supercharged V6 pulling with all of its 300+ horsepower, you still get that good old Range Rover “magic carpet ride” ride feeling, even if you are relying on the capability of the special 20 inch rims to run with all four tires flat.
The list of other impressive features is, well, impressive. Of course. Anti-tamper exhaust (take that Eddie Murphy). Self-sealing fuel tank. Dual split charge battery system. Emergency escape system through the rear hatch. And of course the optional features such as PA system, on board fire suppression systems, sirens and emergency lights, and most likely anything and everything that Land Rover offers for the bespoke Autobiography models. Yes, that does include the leather headliner.
The Sentinel has undergone the same testing as a standard production vehicle and retains the outstanding off-road capability for which Land Rover is famous.
John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said: the Sentinel is engineered to provide “class leading levels of protection to occupants against extreme attack, whilst retaining the Range Rover's luxury and refinement with off road capability."
In other words, when you’re finally clear of danger, you can pull over, get out your monogrammed Range Rover picnic basket, and have afternoon tea on the trademark split level tailgate that Range Rover is known for.
Of course, Land Rover offers global support, annual visits by SVO technicians, and a full driver-training program to ensure the new owners can handle the upgraded (i.e., heavy) vehicle to its greatest potential in the most dire situations.
Guide price according to the LR press release, 400,000 EURO. Potential customers should visit http://www.landrover.com/fleet-and-business/specialist-vehicles.html to register their interest.
Sentinel makes its global debut at the Defence and Security Equipment International Exhibition at London's ExCeL arena from 15th to 18th September 2015.
Sign up and receive once every 2 weeks
Select Your Vehicle
