Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations, (SVO) announced today the launch of their first-ever armoured vehicle in form of the new Range Rover Sentinel. Dubbed a “luxury fortress on wheels,” this high-end Rangie is a built-to-order model with a base price of €400,000.

Based on the standard wheelbase Autobiography, Range Rover Sentinel looks like a normal model but it has VR8 level protection certification. That means the car can withstand 7.62mm high velocity, armour piercing incendiary bullets as well as explosives of up to 15kg Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and DM51 grenades from both beneath the floor and above the roof. So in many ways this civilian car is safer than the Humvees the American Military used when they invaded Iraq!

To offer that level of protection Range Rover Sentinel relies on a specially-developed six-piece armoured passenger cell, made of super-high-strength steel, and multi-laminated armour privacy glass. Other highlights of this extremely secure include anti-tamper exhaust, a self-sealing fuel tank, auxiliary back-up battery, Emergency Escape System behind the rear seats and a split charging system, plus anti-smash protective tailgate glass. Meanwhile, special 20-inch split rim alloy wheels fitted with run flat tire will ensure you can escape the scene of the incident even if the tires are shot up.

Thanks to revised Dynamic Stability Control and Ride Stability Control systems plus a 340PS 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine, the armoured Range Rover Sentinel offers pretty much the same on and off-road capabilities as the standard model.