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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need

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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need | Top Gear

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Yes, a RHD armoured SUV is completely practical as a daily driver. Here's why

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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need

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Yes, a RHD armoured SUV is completely practical as a daily driver. Here's why

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Yes, a RHD armoured SUV is completely practical as a daily driver. Here's why

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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need

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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need

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The Plasan SandCat Stormer is the urban commuter we need

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Yes, a RHD armoured SUV is completely practical as a daily driver. Here's why

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Commuting can be a tricky business, and it seems most cities are increasingly filled with lifestyle crossovers hell bent on never actually doing anything resembling the things depicted in the sales brochure. But you can see the point; a slightly elevated seating position, practical space, compact dimensions and a generally less cringing attitude to potholes and speedbumps. Some of which resemble the Marianas Trench and tank trap stones respectively.

Which means that the next logical step is to actually use a tank, except that would be ridiculous. Tanks are largely impossible to parallel park, and you can’t use a multi-story. So how about the next best thing? Yes, responding to my demands for the ultimate inter-urban commuting vehicle after driving one a year or so ago, armouring and composites specialist Plasan has finally made the SandCat Stormer armoured SUV in right-hand drive, meaning that it’s now completely practical as a daily driver.

It stacks up: highly maneuverable (in context of this sort of thing, presumably), high seating position (for up to ten), ability to withstand grenade attack and consistent fire from both AK47 and Dragunov armour-piercing rounds, sat-nav, air-con, SCAT (Safe Crowd Attenuating Technology) non-lethal crowd control system (including multi-shot 40mm smoke/gas grenade launcher, Long Range Acoustic Device and Light Dazzler), a decent boot and full set of rubber mats as standard. And a bike rack will fit.

It’s also based on a Ford F-550 SuperDuty, so one assumes that my local Ford dealer can handle servicing without a problem. Now, obviously this sort of thing is more usually used for law enforcement, border patrol and peace keeping duties, but I don’t see why it can’t be used for simple commuting. Would look great in red.

Unfortunately, in conversation with Plasan’s Director of Design, the ineffable Nir Kahn, it turns out that not only can I not have one in red, but I can’t have one at all.

“Apart from the RHD variant which we’ve engineered ourselves (the Ford F550 doesn’t come with an option for right-hook from the factory), the other thing we're always asked for is a civilian version. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me if they can have one in red. But we don't sell to private individuals (no matter how much you beg, Wookie) because there are issues of getting end-user licenses for the armour and technology.

"You need to be able to demonstrate why you need protection from armour-piercing AK47 rounds, and suffice it to say that most individuals who need that sort of protection are not the sort of people who would get permission to have it. So the closest we do to civilian SandCats are the police versions.”

Which sounds like a ‘maybe’ to me. The conversation also turned to the possibility of making a SandCat Stormer with Martini stripes, but that’s got more to do with Nir’s own personal obsession rather than operational necessity. I say it’s a good idea...

Images: Ronen Topelberg

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Commuting can be a tricky business, and it seems most cities are increasingly filled with lifestyle crossovers hell bent on never actually doing anything resembling the things depicted in the sales brochure. But you can see the point; a slightly elevated seating position, practical space, compact dimensions and a generally less cringing attitude to potholes and speedbumps. Some of which resemble the Marianas Trench and tank trap stones respectively.

Which means that the next logical step is to actually use a tank, except that would be ridiculous. Tanks are largely impossible to parallel park, and you can’t use a multi-story. So how about the next best thing? Yes, responding to my demands for the ultimate inter-urban commuting vehicle after driving one a year or so ago, armouring and composites specialist Plasan has finally made the SandCat Stormer armoured SUV in right-hand drive, meaning that it’s now completely practical as a daily driver.

It stacks up: highly maneuverable (in context of this sort of thing, presumably), high seating position (for up to ten), ability to withstand grenade attack and consistent fire from both AK47 and Dragunov armour-piercing rounds, sat-nav, air-con, SCAT (Safe Crowd Attenuating Technology) non-lethal crowd control system (including multi-shot 40mm smoke/gas grenade launcher, Long Range Acoustic Device and Light Dazzler), a decent boot and full set of rubber mats as standard. And a bike rack will fit.

It’s also based on a Ford F-550 SuperDuty, so one assumes that my local Ford dealer can handle servicing without a problem. Now, obviously this sort of thing is more usually used for law enforcement, border patrol and peace keeping duties, but I don’t see why it can’t be used for simple commuting. Would look great in red.

Unfortunately, in conversation with Plasan’s Director of Design, the ineffable Nir Kahn, it turns out that not only can I not have one in red, but I can’t have one at all.

“Apart from the RHD variant which we’ve engineered ourselves (the Ford F550 doesn’t come with an option for right-hook from the factory), the other thing we're always asked for is a civilian version. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me if they can have one in red. But we don't sell to private individuals (no matter how much you beg, Wookie) because there are issues of getting end-user licenses for the armour and technology.

"You need to be able to demonstrate why you need protection from armour-piercing AK47 rounds, and suffice it to say that most individuals who need that sort of protection are not the sort of people who would get permission to have it. So the closest we do to civilian SandCats are the police versions.”

Which sounds like a ‘maybe’ to me. The conversation also turned to the possibility of making a SandCat Stormer with Martini stripes, but that’s got more to do with Nir’s own personal obsession rather than operational necessity. I say it’s a good idea...

Images: Ronen Topelberg

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Yes, a RHD armoured SUV is completely practical as a daily driver. Here's why