Land Rover's new bulletproof SUV is a tank dressed in a tuxedo
But, for a select few - think heads of state and corporate CEOs - those features would barely scratch the surface.
The address that, Land Rover has put together a bulletproof, explosion-proof road tank called the Range Rover Sentinel. From all appearances, the Sentinel looks like your everyday six-figure luxury SUV. This one, however, might actually save your life.
The Range Rover Sentinel is a product of Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) unit - the same division that produces insanely fast versions of its standard SUVs.
To produce the Sentinel, the automaker takes the top-of-the-line, $140,000 Range Rover Autobiography model and turns it into a fortress with:
- A reinforced passenger cell that can withstand armor-piercing incendiary bullets
- Super high-strength steel that can take blasts from hand-grenade explosions
- A tamper-proof exhaust system
- Self-sealing fuel tank that prevents leaks if the tank is punctured
- A backup battery and run-flat tires
Naturally, all of that reinforced steel and glass makes the already heavy Range Rover (standard weight: more than 5,000 lbs) even heavier. But, engineers have retooled the Sentinel's suspension to compensate for that.
There's no point in dodging armor-piercing bullets and grenades if you can't make evasive maneuvers to get out of harm's way.