WATCH: Armed Land Cruiser blows Prado to smithereens (VIDEO)

I have driven all sorts of weird and wonderful vehicles in my time as a motoring journalist and Toyota’s Dakar-inspired 5.0-litre V8 Rex was at the at the top of my list from a fun and public reaction perspective. But the Armormax TAC-6 Toyota Land Cruiser has gone and comprehensively displaced the Hilux way out there in left-field territory.

Yes, I know it is designed to be used primarily as a military vehicle, but the man in the street went mad for it. Wherever I drove it or parked it, people were taking pictures and videos and asked all sorts of questions. This is South Africa, we love big, bad bakkies. Therefore, the TAC-6 Toyota Land Cruiser resonated with enthusiasts all over the place.

Watch TAC-6 Land Cruiser video

I will give you a very brief and basic military-spec rundown of the TAC-6 here. Then, as a follow-up, I will bring you my civilian driving impression of this Toyota Land Cruiser 79. And report back on the performance numbers we got when we went testing at Gerotek. Why Gerotek? Because we like testing, and we like numbers. Watch this space…

So, you might be asking, why the need for a six-wheel-drive Land Cruiser that can be lightly armoured, heavily armed and fill several operational roles? And the answer is simple. All other solutions available are either too light and incapable or too heavy and large to be agile and easily transported. And in many military combat situations, agility and versatility are key to operational success.

Development on the project started with a request from a Special Forces regiment for a vehicle that could handle several disciplines. It had to be able to get in and out of hostile environments quickly without any special driver training. And could be easily serviced in the field by its operators.

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Water tanker to missile launcher

As a result, the chassis can be adapted and used for just about anything you can think of. From a personnel carrier, ammunition carrier, mechanical field workshop, fuel or water tanker, firefighting unit, food and cold storage, generator unit, radar, drone platform and even an anti-tank guided missile launch platform.

Talking of which, I consider myself a fairly competent driver with a number of years’ experience. But I am still not convinced I could jump into a tank and blast off into a warzone. But thanks to having taken a boxercise class on Ladies Self Defence Training Day, I was able to hop into the TAC-6 Land Cruiser and confidently cruise between Willdebeest in Boksburg and Dingos in Benoni without fear.

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The TAC-6 offers a state-of-the-art suspension system and an advanced drivetrain. Increased engine output of 192kW and 710Nm from the 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel and an exceptional operational range thanks to the 300-litre fuel tank.

Every aspect of the TAC-6 Land Cruiser has been meticulously engineered, leaving no room for compromise. In an environment where product failure is simply not an option, this Land Cruiser has been comprehensively over-engineered. It can not only go anywhere but come back again every time.

Extensive testing

After more than seven years of extensive research and development, backed by over 250 000 km of rigorous testing in Europe and Africa, the platform is now ready to order. You can either provide your own vehicle for conversion, in left-hand drive or right-hand drive. Or request Armormax Defence to source a vehicle for you.

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The cost of the base conversion for a manual at R1 558 000 and doesn’t include the donor vehicle. Armouring options for STANAG Level 1 start at R850 000, while a lightweight, discreet armouring package starts at R880 000. B4 and B6 levels of armouring starts at R1 296 000. A ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox can also be fitted at a cost of R440 000.

Contact Michael Broom on 084 325 2744 or at michael@tac-6.com for more information on the Armormax TAC-6 Toyota Land Cruiser.