Mahindra is best known for the SUVs they make- like the Thar, Scorpio and XUV 700, and for their ambition of becoming India’s largest SUV manufacturer. But did you know that the company also makes bulletproof Toyota Land Cruisers? Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring (MEVA) is the defence and armoured vehicle vertical of the Indian carmaker. It specializes in designing and manufacturing armouring solutions and purpose-built vehicles. The products include dedicated defence vehicles like armoured personnel carriers (for example MEVA Marksman) and armoured civilian vehicles ( for example Land Cruisers and Patrols)
MEVA has manufacturing facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The company maintains strict quality control over its deliverables and products. All products and solutions here comply with multiple international certifications.
Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armouring (MEVA) was set up in 2011, as a JV between Mahindra, Arabia Holdings Limited and RAK Transport Investment Company. Now if you look at their portfolio, there are products spread across segments- from purpose-built armoured vehicles, special-purpose armoured vehicles and armoured personnel carriers to luxury armoured vehicles. The company’s armour portfolio has various levels of bullet and blast resistance on offer.
In the luxury segment, MEVA does Toyota Land Cruisers, Nissan Patrols, and Lexus SUVs. These vehicles are preferred by high-profile individuals, businessmen and VIPs in the UAE, where the company has its base. It offers various levels of armour and reinforcements. Vehicles such as Patrols and LCs can take hefty, complex armours without much compromise in the performance of road manners.
The added weight that armouring brings to the vehicle, often makes it less drivable. It dulls down performance and makes it difficult to manoeuvre. Thus the quality of armouring is of supreme importance when you’re in the market to choose one. MEVA has posted a video on its official YouTube channel showcasing the agility and dynamics of its armoured Land Cruiser (LC300). It shows an armoured LC 300 tackling a slalom. You can see how safe and manoeuvrable it feels.
Increasing Affinity For Armoured Vehicles Among The Affluent
The past few years have seen a commendable rise in the demand for armoured and high-security vehicles in the Emirates. The culture is growing in India as well. Top celebs, politicians, VIPs and successful businessmen often prefer to make their rides bulletproof. A recent incident was when Salman Khan imported his second armoured Nissan Patrol from UAE, following death threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Mahindra Armoured Light Specialist Vehicle ( ALSV )
It is built for Indian Army’s requirement of 4.75 ton GVW light specialist vehicle for role of weapon carrier.
Credit : cobra commando-dfi pic.twitter.com/7Cb1DvEFKr
— Indian Defence (@defence_in) March 23, 2021
One of the most recent times when the MEVA made headlines was in 2020 when they launched the Armoured Light Specialist Vehicle. Several units of the special vehicle were purchased by the Indian Defence. Anand Mahindra had back then tweeted saying how capable this vehicle was and that the folks at MEVA ‘M&M’ meant ‘Mean Machine’.
It is definitely heartwarming to see an Indian carmaker flourish in the passenger, commercial defence and tactical vehicle segments. MEVA seems to have more orders and products coming up in the future.
Notably, when India’s two time Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi took oath for the first time, Anand Mahindra offered to build him an armored car. Modi used to be driven in a Mahindra Scorpio when he was Gujarat’s chief minister. On becoming the PM, Modi began using armored cars such as the BMW 730 LD Security, the Range Rover and more recently the Toyota Land Cruiser. All three cars are armored ones.
