South African armouring firm launches customisable Toyota Land Cruiser 6×6 – Pricing

South Africa’s arsenal of armoured vehicles has just gotten bigger with the reveal of the new Tac-6, a six-wheeler armoured bakkie based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79.

The design comes courtesy of Armormax Defence, a local company situated in Johannesburg that specializes in tactical vehicles and armoured plating solutions for everyday models.

Intended for international special forces operations, the Tac-6 is designed to be able to get in and out of difficult environments quickly without requiring any additional training on the driver’s part.

A force to be reckoned with

The converted Land Cruiser’s standard chassis has not been cut in order to accommodate the new axle; rather a high-strength extension has been added to the body to ensure even weight distribution across all six wheels.

The chassis can be adapted to suit a variety of roles including a personnel carrier, a weapon platform, an ammunition carrier, a radar platform, an anti-tank missile launch platform, a drone platform, and a mechanical field workshop.

It can also be used as a 3,500-litre fuel or water tanker, and can serve in non-combat roles in agriculture or mining.

The Tac-6 has a gross vehicle mass of seven tonnes, with the heft being moved around by 4.5-litre, V8 diesel engine developing 192kW and 710Nm.

To make it practical in hostile environments, the vehicle comes with two fuel tanks with a capacity of 210 and 90 litres for a combined total of 300 litres – enough to drive for over 2,000km, Armormax claims.

This tank can even be upgraded to 560 litres on the double cabs and 610 litres on the single cabs on special request.

Furthermore, if a customer selects the armour package, the tanks are made puncture-resistant and self-healing, with additional rubber mounts to reduce vibrations.

Connecting all six wheels to the drivetrain is a specially-developed eight-speed automatic transmission, which proved to be a necessity as the standard manual and auto shifters would have required overriding safety protocols.

This transmission employs a special cooling system to assist it with heavy loads while driving in difficult conditions like thick sand and hot weather.

Regardless of whether you choose the single or double cab, the bakkie measures 5,995mm long, with a height of 1,870mm and a width of 1,870mm.

The tyres measure between 31 and 35 inches in diameter, and can be removed with a single 13mm socket spanner for easy replacement.

Other aspects of the vehicle’s mechanics, such as the axles and brake discs, are factory spec, thus reducing the time and cost of finding and replacing parts.

The Tac-6 can also tow up to 4,400kg, and has a high-strength steel rear cross guard that can accept a military-grade tow hitch.

Regarding its protective capabilities, the six-wheeler offers a STANAG Level 1 armour option, which uses the lightest high-grade ballistic materials and 40mm-thick glass to provide 360-degree protection for its occupants.

This setup can protect against shell fragments as well as bullet calibres such as 7.62mm and 5.56mm.

Pricing

The cost of the base conversion starts at R1.5 million, though this does not include the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 itself, which currently sells for between R765,500 and R1,039,200.

The STANAG Level 1 armour package will set you back R850,000, while more discreet armour solutions rated at B4 (handgun) and B6 (assault rifle) protection grades start at R880,000 and R1,300,000, respectively.

Multiple orders will reduce production costs and reduce the build time significantly, resulting in a retail price reduction, said the company.