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No tanks necessary: Russian luxury personnel carrier
by Noah Joseph on Nov 1st 2006 at 1:29PM 
Is the armored Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard not enough? How about a luxury tank?
This amphibious Russian combat reconnaissance/patrol vehicle was purchased by a Russian oligarch and retrofitted with a host of luxury equipment including a full leather interior with wood trim, plus night-vision, hi-fi stereo system, sat-nav and television with DVD player.
Being an amphibious vehicle, it can go in the water too, and has a periscope mounted to the roof to help the driver see where he's going and sonar to see what lies beneath. Get stuck on land? It's got extra wheels hidden underneath that can be deployed as needed. The thing ways weighs a few tons, and is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 diesel.
And here you thought the Hummer and G-wagon were the ultimate in luxury paramilitary vehicles. Park it next to your Aston Martin and you've got your own little James Bond flick goin' on.
(Follow the jump for more images.)
[Source: English Russia via Luxist]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Frank-O 1:33PM (11/01/2006)
It WAYS a few tons?
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DKB_SATX 1:38PM (11/01/2006)
"The thing ways a few tons" ? Don't you at least have to be fluent in English to write for Autoblog? Try "weighs" as in "weight."
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Edsel 1:44PM (11/01/2006)
The interior looks like it came from a vintage Chris Craft cabin cruiser.
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Sasha 2:14PM (11/01/2006)
See, the Russians know how to do it. This thing makes that F650 from yesterday look so pussy.
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Richard Warren 2:54PM (11/01/2006)
I want one, screw the Hummer. LOL
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UpIrons 2:31PM (11/01/2006)
Man, they have toilet paper shortages all the time but damn if those Russians don't know how to do it up right when it comes to rollin' in style (not toilet paper rollin' of course).
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Glenn 2:52PM (11/01/2006)
Once you go to the jump and look at the other photos, the engine photograph clearly shows a gasoline V8 engine with carburetor, not a diesel V8. The waterproof distributor has two big sets of cables going left and right, contining 4 spark plug wires per vee-bank, and the carburetor is very clearly visible.
Unsure, but this may be a GAZ gasoline V8 engine, militarized/marinised? I think that is about 5.5 litres.
Wow, wonder how many tons the vehicle weighs, and how slow it must be with only 5.5 litres of V8?!
Talk about the ulitimate rolling road-block, do you think anyone is going to try to tailgate and intimidate the driver, though? HAH!
I can just hear my wife's voice watching one drive by our Prius.... "hmmm, BIG ENGINE, LITTLE WILLY."
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isrltrkfn 3:40PM (11/01/2006)
Ahhhnolds. New. Car.
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Febi Guibo 10:18PM (11/01/2006)
"...Next up on Pimp My Tank..."
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