Enormous South-African War Machine Gets a Facelift, Can Eat Humvees at Dinner

However, concerning exterior modifications, it's not a striking difference from the original design (the first video can shed more light on the matter). The interior slightly improves for (better) comfort, with the eight seats now providing better protection against rapid acceleration.

That's not to say that the new Marauder will be a drag strip king or stop the Nürburgring timer in a blast. No, the Paramount vehicle deals with a different discharge – from land mines and other explosive devices. Although its massive 16-ton gross weight is by no means easy to push around, a 110 lb (50 kg) TNT-equivalent detonation will seriously throw the Marauder's occupants around.

But that's about it because not even a fierce explosion like that could harm this battle-ready, Humvee-dwarfing monster. It can withstand an 18 lb (8 kg) TNT under-hull center blast or a 35 lb (15 kilograms) under-wheel (any of the four) bang.

The engine – model not disclosed by the manufacturer – is a straight-six turbocharged Diesel, good for 281 bhp (285 ps) and an enormous 715 lb-ft (970 Nm) of torque. With the help of its five-speed automatic transmission, the Marauder can hit 70 mph (110 kph).

It also has hi- and low-gear as standard and pneumatic differential locks for all three diffs (front, mid, and rear.) Pneumatic disc brakes and factory-installed ABS are good additions for severe driving conditions (which you might expect when the vehicle is under heavy automatic weapons fire).

The 51,000 BTU/h (15 kW) air conditioning system is helpful in temperatures ranging from -4F to 122F ( -20C to +50C), where the Marauder can operate. The nine-person crew will undoubtedly appreciate the air-con, as the bullet-proof windows do not roll down.

Although mpg figures are not divulged, Paramount claims their war off-roader has a range of 435 miles (700 km). Not too bad for a behemoth weighing 30k lb (13.5 tons) – not counting the 5,500 lb payload (2.5 tons). To put it into perspective, it takes four Humvees to equal the same displacement.

At 22 feet (6.6 meters) long, 8.8 feet (2.7 meters) tall, and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) wide, parking might pose a challenge (curb-to-curb turning circle is 60 feet! That is a staggering 18 meters.) And don't think this is just a beefed-up armored SUV.

The Marauder can ford three and a half feet of water without hesitation (or special preparations) just as easy as it can cross three-foot-deep ditches or move up 31 degrees slopes (or 60% gradient). Its 20-inch (50 cm) ground clearance means the wheeled battleship can drive almost anywhere.

The price is confidential, but the manufacturer claims it switched production from custom-order to stock to boost delivery. Also, to meet the needs of various clients, the Marauder holds one unique feature: in just two hours, the military vehicle will turn from left-hand drive to right-hand drive. While welcomed in any car, this feature has got me thinking: with the driver's eyes 8 feet above the road, why bother transferring the steering wheel to the opposite side?

Optionally, the Marauder will boast several add-ons, such as a winch, Central Tire Inflation System, fire suppressors, an auxiliary power unit, and a frontal scraper blade. My favorite is the CBRN protection kit for the zombie apocalypse. That's a Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, and Nuclear ultimate hazmat-type attire.

If you're interested, you can see the Mark II Marauder next month at the Africa Aerospace and Defense Expo in the Paramount Group's home country, South Africa. As for the TV show starring the Marauder, click play on the second video.