Mahindra Building Bulletproof Toyota Land Cruisers? We Explain
Most people in India know Mahindra Group for their strides in the Indian automotive industry. However, did you know that Mahindra also has a business vertical named Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring (MEVA), which specializes in the production of armoured vehicles? Well, if you are someone who is not aware of this, then you are at the right place. What will surprise you even more is that Mahindra’s armouring division is best known for manufacturing bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser LC300s.
Mahindra makes bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser LC300s
Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring FZ LLC (MEVA) is the arm of Mahindra Group that was established after the company joined hands with Arabia Holdings Limited and RAK Transport Investment Company. Together, this joint venture has manufacturing facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
MEVA specializes in the designing and manufacturing of armoured personnel carriers. It also produces special-purpose tactical vehicles and civilian luxury armoured SUVs. According to the company, all of their armouring solutions comply with international standards, including VPAM and CEN ballistic certifications.
Bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser LC300
Currently, the most popular civilian armoured vehicle sold at MEVA is the armoured Toyota Land Cruiser. This model is based on the latest 300 Series of the iconic and super reliable Land Cruiser. MEVA reinforces stock LC300s with precision-grade materials and safety systems to maintain both protection and drivability. They are designed for VIPs, business magnates, diplomats, and security forces under high-risk conditions.
Protection levels of the MEVA Land Cruisers
In terms of protection levels, the Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs offer VPAM VR7 Edition-3. It is currently one of the highest internationally accepted standards for ballistic protection. Vehicles with this level of protection can withstand 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, which are common in automatic weapons like the AK-47.
Additionally, these vehicles are also CEN B6 & B7 rated. This means that they are protected against assault rifle fire and offer higher-grade protection, including sniper rifle-level threats. They also get equipped with Multi-Layered Ballistic Protection. Multiple composite and steel layers provide superior threat resistance, especially in ambush or crossfire scenarios.
Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring also equips its bulletproof Land Cruisers with engine, battery, and ECU protection. These key components are protected with reinforced housings to prevent them from getting damaged during attacks. Also, the fuel tanks of these vehicles are custom shielded to prevent combustion or leakage during ballistic attacks.
Other highlights include a run-flat tyre system, which allows the vehicle to continue driving up to 50 km after tire deflation. These vehicles can also be equipped with military-grade communication systems, a backup power network, and a battery isolation system. They also get shield-safe high-grade protection for passengers, a fire suppression system, and stealth mode, which disables all visible lights and markers.
Who buys these armoured vehicles?
These armoured vehicles are mostly bought by people belonging to Royal Families, diplomats, politicians, billionaires, and elite security teams across the globe. In India, a number of politicians and ultra-wealthy individuals use armoured vehicles. Of these, the most popular person is Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who gets driven around in a bulletproof Range Rover. He has also ordered a second bulletproof Nissan Patrol from the UAE after constantly getting death threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.