A fortress on wheels.
That might be the best way to describe Land Rover's new Range Rover Sentinel SUV. Built by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations division, the armored vehicle can withstand everything from bullets to bomb blasts.
Offering a 360-degree, six-part armored safety cell—that doesn't compromise the internal luxury that Land Rover is known for—the Sentinel is built to evade any danger or threats on or off-road. After all, what good is an armored Range Rover that can't handle off-road terrain?
So, how impervious is the Sentinel? Well, according to Damien Wilson, the senior program manager of the Special Vehicle Operations unit, it can withstand 7.62mm high-velocity, armored-piercing incendiary rounds, while offering 15 kilograms of TNT side blast protection. If that's not enough protection, the Sentinel can withstand two DM51 hand grenades from the under floor and roof and the armored glass also provides ballistic and fragmentation resistance.
Land Rover also improved the Sentinel's dynamic stability control system and upgraded its already high-performance brakes to give the SUV superior stopping performance.
Though it's bogged down with armor, the Sentinel can still lug around upwards of 1,400 pounds thanks to its 3.0 liter V-6 engine, packing 340 horsepower, according to a Motor Authority report. The same report says the Sentinel carries a price tag of approximately $447,200. Yes...top-notch security on wheels isn't cheap.
Despite the six-part armored safety cell that wraps this vehicle, Wilson says that "this vehicle should only stand out for being a Range Rover Autobiography and not for it's armored nature."
