Jaguar Land Rover’s SVO division has created its first luxury armoured vehicle, which will go on sale this month.
With a guide price of around €400,000, the Range Rover Sentinel will make its public debut at the Defence and Security Equipment International Show on 15-18 September at the Excel arena in London.
Based on the Range Rover Autobiography, the Sentinel is a defence-focused variant that has a six-piece armoured passenger cell at its core, which is made from super-high-strength steel that can withstand 7.62mm high-velocity, armour-piercing incendiary bullets.
It is certified to VR8 standard against ballistic threats - by QinetiQ, an independent organisation that was formerly part of the British Government’s Defence Establishment Research Agency - and also has lateral protection against blasts of up to 15kg from Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and DM51 grenade explosions from beneath the floor and above the roof.
The glass from the Autobiography has been replaced in favour of multi-laminated, bullet-proof armour privacy glass, and other upgrades over the Autobiography include an uprated suspension as well as 380mm front and 365mm rear ventilated disc brakes with high-density pads.
The Sentinel also has an anti-tamper exhaust, self-sealing fuel tank, auxiliary back-up battery and a split charging system, along with optional features such as under-bonnet fire suppression, a siren system, and an external speaker to allow occupants to address people outside the car.
Power comes from the 335bhp 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine from the Jaguar F-Type and XE-S - as opposed to the diesel version from the Autobiography - which is mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The car runs on 20in split-rim alloys with run-flat inserts that ensure the vehicle can be driven even if the tyres are deflated.
The Sentinel is available to order from early September 2015 with a guide price of around €400,000 excluding taxes - including a three-year, 50,000-mile warranty - and is primarily aimed at export markets, according to JLR.
A full driver training programme is provided with purchases, as is scheduled visits each year by a technician.
It will be built to special order at its Oxford Road facility and will be available in the UK, Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East.
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How much does this beast
The ultra-high VR8 armouring
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