When you think armored car, Volvo may not come immediately to mind. But the Swedish-based and Chinese-owned car company known for safety hopes to add to that reputation with its new Volvo XC90 Armoured, “designed and built to provide safe and comfortable travel with a high level of personal protection for the occupants.”
“With our armored cars, we can provide vehicles with a high level of personal security for individuals who require heightened protection,” Stephan Green, Volvo Cars Special Vehicles marketing director, is quoted in the company’s announcement.
The announcement notes, “There is a growing global market for armored vehicles at present, and a large number are manufactured with various protection ratings. Volvo Cars has received numerous requests over the past few years to develop an armored XC90.
“Volvo Cars has extensive experience of building police cars, fire engines and diverse special vehicles with high requirements in terms of function, drivability and safety. In fact, the first Volvo police car was delivered back in 1929.
“The XC90 Armoured (heavy) with VR8* protection rating (VPAM BRV 2009/ERV 2010) enables us to offer a car that provides a high level of protection while retaining the car’s fundamental properties,” Green explained. “Potential customers include security services who would use the car to transport high-profile individuals.”
The VPAM VRI protection rating is a 2-year-old standard meaning a car has 360-degree ballistic resistance as well as explosive resistance, Volvo said.
The XC90 T6 AWD vehicles are produced in Sweden and sent to Germany for upfitting by Trasco Bremen GmbH.
The high-strength steel armor is 10 millimeters thick, while the thickness of the glass can be up to 50mm. The armor adds approximately 1,400 kilograms to the XC90. To cope with the increased weight, the car is fitted with uprated suspension and new brakes.
Volvo added that the cars are intended for the Latin American and European markets.
And our so-called "civilization" has another level of reality exposed. I’m old enough to remember when spinster school teachers and hippy chicks drove Volvos.
It might have been better not to announce this; Latino and Eurotrash bad guys read, too, y’know. As an advisor in Africa & the Middle East, we always knew to target the ‘Yoda LandCruiser in the convoy, ‘cuz that’s where yer high value score would be. Always. Far as I know, they still haven’t learned.
Gimme a well used Cressida or Taurus or Impala or Accord shell, and hotrod/armor THAT- anonymity is always the very best defense- check all the ’80’s/’90’s armored LTDs and Crown Vics that were sold in Latin and South America in the early days of our oh-so-successful "war on drugs". Ask anyone who makes their living busting armored civilian vehicles. Those that are on the down-low survive. Others? Not so much.
Y’know, some info should just stay private.