Jaguar Land Rover declares the Range Rover a high-security zone: as the first armored model in the "Special Vehicle Operations" department, the British converted the SUV to a special protection vehicle called Sentinel, which offers protection against shelling and explosions.
The basis is the Range Rover in the equipment level Autobiography with normal wheelbase. Its eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of 5,0 liters delivers 375 kW / 510 hp. The Sentinel is made to measure and customer orders in the workshops of Special Operations on Oxford Road. You cannot tell that this variant is bulletproof and even fights explosions with 15 kilograms of TNT. From the outside, the variant hardly differs from the production model.
Protection from attacks is provided by a six-part armored passenger cell made of high-strength steel. The standard glazing was replaced by tinted multi-layer bulletproof glass. An anti-tamper exhaust system, a self-sealing fuel tank, an emergency power supply with a second battery and a separate charging system were also installed.
If the tires of the Range Rover Sentinel lose air after an attack, the vehicle remains mobile due to safety tires with run-flat properties. If the side doors are blocked by an accident, the occupants can leave the Sentinel via the emergency exit system behind the rear seats.
The Range Rover Sentinel meets the requirements of resistance class VR8, certified by the British defense and research company QinetiQ, which has emerged from a research laboratory of the British Department of Defense. It can also be ordered with other protection systems. This includes fire extinguishing systems for the underbody and engine compartment, an individually adjustable siren system, emergency lights or an intercom system to the outside.
How much the Range Rover Sentinel costs ultimately depends on the equipment. For the base vehicle with a 5,0-liter eight-cylinder and 510 hp, 132.900 euros are currently due.
Author: Adele Moser / SP-X