The Combat T-98 Armoured Luxury SUV

“The Combat T-98 is still produced to customer order only. This year we have produced just 20 units and all of them were for the personal use of VIPs. In 2006 we already have 60 orders for the utility so we will increase production next year.

“We have sold vehicles into the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Estonia and now to USA.

“Our customers for the T98 are usually very wealthy business people and they are fitted out with luxury interiors and full armouring. The utility is finding a market with customs, security, police elite specialty military units and tends to be built to different level of specification altogether – a durable, workinginterior, diesel engine , with gun ports and roof gun ring the extra heavy duty suspension.”

Prices start at around US$138,000 for the standard luxury vehicle with the basic level of protection which includes specifically being able to stop a 357 Magnum. Though the word basic is used to describe the package, it’s far from basic with multiple airbags, ABS, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a computerised driver information centre and a custom leather interior with power-operated seating with eight different adjustments, posotion memory and heated seats. There’s all the expected luxury entertainment features including CD changer, and … well, everything you could want. Unless you’re a President. The Presidential interior adds another US$36,000 and we can only imagine that’s much better again.

Of course, you’d never have the Presidential interior with the lowest level of armouring, and the costs rise steeply as you move from stopping a relatively harmless Magnum and move into anti-anti-tank territory.

The next step is H.Pro level of protection, which will stop bullets from 7.62 calibre Kalashnikov’s and costs US$168,000, with the third tier costing US$217,000 and the full-on highest B7-level of armoured protection costing US$247,000 before further optional extras are added.

These prices are all based on the utility version with a 400 bhp GM Vortec 8100 V8 engine, though any performance level required can be fitted, with a 320bhp Duramax diesel V8 for an additional US$7,200, or you can have a tyre-screeching 550bhp Vortec engine for an extra US$14,400. The Passenger Wagon costs an extra US$6,000 over the utility and you can order a long wheelbase version (wheelbase 3630 mm) for an extra US$11,500.

The list of extras goes on and reading the specs, you get the impression that this is a very special vehicle. Buy a T-98 with the lot and the armour plating includes a special version of the monocoque chassis with the double steel sandwiching a ceramic layer. The tyres are naturally run-flat tyres which means they can’t be rendered unusable by bullets. The windows of the car are 50mm thick – that’s the length of a box of matches – and they work with a quiet and reassuring hiss and can stop an armour-piercing bullet.

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