Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Morphs Into Armored Personnel Carrier

The South African vehicle armoring specialist SVI introduces an overhauled Land Cruiser 79 Series that the company calls the Max 3. It transforms the already rugged SUV into a rig that can protect the occupants from a bullet.

The Max 3 certainly doesn't look like a Land Cruiser. There's a massive grille in the front and stacked headlights in the corners. The body lines are chiseled and include lots of hard creases. There are suicide doors for easier entry into the protected cabin. SVI offers the machine in single cab, double cab, or eight-passenger personnel carrier body configurations. It's available in left- or right-hand drive.

In stock form, the Max 3 offers B6 ballistic protection, which means that it can withstand a 7.62×51mm NATO round from an assault rifle like the South African military's R1 or an AK47's 7.62×49 mm bullet. There's 1.5-inch (38-millimeter) thick armored glass and steel plates for guarding the body.

SVI also offers a version of the Max 3 with B7-grade armor and blast protection. This level means the vehicle can withstand armor-piercing rounds. In South Africa, having a model with this much shielding requires getting special permission from the government, and generally only registered security companies or government agencies can get it.

There's even a full-on military version of the Max 3 that has mounts for a .50-caliber machine gun and mortars.

To carry the armor, SVI upgrades the stock Land Cruiser's suspension, including an additional rear anti-roll bar. A new wheel-and-tire setup is also part of the package. The Toyota's stock engine and drivetrain power the Max 3.

The Max 3 starts at 1.6 million South African rand ($103,053 at current exchange rates). The company can deliver one within three months of receiving an order.