South African armouring specialists SVI has released its 2nd derivative of the MAX 3 range and here's what you need to know about the Troopy.

SVI is a mechanical engineering company based near Pretoria and specialises in making bulletproofing for vehicles, but it also assembles its own armoured vehicles. We've had first-hand experience driving its armoured Ford Ranger , but what you see here is a huge step up. This is the SVI MAX 3 and it's an 8-seater armoured vehicle.

Built on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 platform and using its powertrains, the SVI MAX 3 features upgraded suspension, wheels and tyres as well as B6 armouring which is rated against assault rifles. Impressively, you can upgrade it even further to B7 grade and blast protection.

Under the bonnet is a 4.5-litre 8-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine which is good for 151 kW and 430 Nm. It has a top speed of around 140 kph. Servicing is fairly straightforward thanks to its Toyota powertrain and drivetrain and spare parts/service items are available at any Toyota dealership. SVI does recommend a service interval of 5000 km given its usage profile.

The SVI MAX 3 is also available in single-cab anddouble-cab derivatives. SVI claims its MAX 3 Troopy is aimed at the mining, security, anti-poaching and convoy protection industries.

How much does the SVI MAX 3 cost in South Africa?

Depending on the configuration, the SVI MAX 3 price starts from R1.8 million excluding VAT and the price includes an SVI warranty of 1-year/50 000 km.

Further Reading

Armoured VWAmarok V6 From SVI Engineering

SVI MAX 9 Review – Driving the unstoppable South African 8-tonne military vehicle

Armoured Ford Ranger (2021) First Drive

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