South Africa has seemingly become obsessed with armoured vehicles but the TAC-6 by Armormax may be the maddest yet! Here is exactly what has been done to the former single-cab Toyota Land Cruiser to get it to its current configuration.
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This wasn’t designed as a civilian transport, instead, Armourmax was approached to commence the project from a Special Forces regiment with the end goal of creating a vehicle that could handle several disciplines, be able to get in and out of non-permissible environments quickly, and that did not require any special training to operate and could be easily serviced in the field by its operators. Armourmax further states the chassis can be founded or adapted for any of the following roles; personnel carrier, tactical vehicles, with variety a of weapons platforms, ammunition carriers, mechanical field workshop, water tanker, agriculture, mining and several other functions that could adapt its six-wheeled platform.
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Featuring a Gross Vehicle Mass of 7 tonnes, an advanced drivetrain, and increased outputs of 192 kW and 710 N.m, the TAC-6 is the result of seven years of relentless engineering and testing by the local company. Its robust construction further ensures reliability, while its state-of-the-art systems guarantee exceptional performance in any environment.
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. – Armormax
Key features include a seamless transition between 6×2 and 6×6 configurations, a purpose-built ZF 8HP90 automatic gearbox, and a resilient drive train utilizing heavy-duty DANA components. The chassis design achieves optimal strength and flexibility, while the suspension system allows for easy customization and compatibility with various lift systems and tyre sizes. The TAC-6’s axle housings feature a full-floating side shaft setup, enabling swift repairs and minimizing downtime. Its braking system delivers unrivalled stopping power, while the upgraded fuel system ensures extended operational range. The main fuel tank has a capacity of over 210 litres, while an auxiliary tank adds an additional 90 litres. With a total usable fuel capacity of 300 litres as standard, the TAC-6 offers an operational range of over 2 000 km. If this is insufficient, Armormax states the TAC-6 can be upgraded to hold up to 560 litres of fuel on the double cab and a massive 610 litres on the single cab which can increase the range substantially.
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Serving in potentially hostile environments, the six-wheeler also offers STANAG level 1 vehicle armour as a customer option, which offers the lightest, high-grade ballistic materials available as a 360-degree solution for occupants in the cab with 40 mm ballistic glass used as a replacement for the OEM windows. This upgrade protects against attacks as heavy as assault rifles.
Customers can choose from various customization and accessory options, with pricing starting at R1 558 000 for the base conversion excluding the vehicle itself. Armouring options for STANAG Level 1 start at R850 000 including VAT while a lightweight, discreet armouring package starts at R880 000 including VAT or R1 296 000 including VAT for B4 and B6 levels of armour respectively.
Production takes approximately 14 weeks, and multiple-vehicle orders result in reduced costs and timelines. Additionally, the ZF 8 Speed Automatic Gearbox can be sold separately and fitted to any Land Cruiser 79 4.5d V8 at an additional cost.
