New £450,000 Volvo XC90 Armoured weighs in at 4.5 tonnes

Attack-ready version of flagship SUV boasts all-round ballistic protection and upgraded underpinnings
Felix Page Autocar writer
by Felix Page
26 June 2019

Volvo has unveiled a £450,000 armoured edition of its flagship XC90 SUV for “individuals who require a heightened level of protection”. 

The XC90 Armoured is visually identical to the standard Inscription T6 trim on which it is based, but the addition of 10mm thick steel armour all round adds an extra 1400kg to the XC90, taking its kerbweight up to 4.5 tonnes. 

The strengthened body panels, in conjunction with 50mm thick windows, gives the XC90 Armoured a VR8 protection rating, like the recently revealed Range Rover Sentinel, meaning it has 360deg ballistic protection and a high degree of explosive resistance. 

Additional equipment fitted as standard includes run-flat tyres, an emergency exit, a self-sealing fuel tank, lowering driver’s window and tinted windows.

The vehicle took two years to develop, with Volvo claiming to have preserved the standard XC90’s fundamental properties. However, the standard powertrain, brakes and suspension system have been upgraded to cope with the significant strain of the extra weight. 

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Assembly of the XC90 Armoured is completed by German firm Trasco, using standard models produced at Volvo’s Torslanda facility. 

Stephan Green, marketing director at Volvo’s Special Vehicles division, said potential customers include “security services who would use the car to transport high-profile individuals”, but would not elaborate on further modifications to the vehicle, stating: “Production is classified, with stringent procedures and oversight in place in order to attain the stipulated ballistic requirements.”

The XC90 Armoured is available to order now, with further customisation available on request. First deliveries will be made at the end of 2019. 

A smaller and less heavily modified armoured Volvo, based on the mid-sized XC60 crossover, is aimed at customers such as diplomats, the police and security services in European and Latin American markets. 

Volvo says the smaller option is geared towards protecting against geographical dangers or handguns, with the model gaining just 250kg in weight as a result of its added protection. 

The XC60 Armoured is assembled in Brazil, and has yet to undergo stringent ballistic tests. Like the larger XC90, its brakes and suspension have been upgraded. 

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