Something Different....A Buffel extraordinaire
It is essentially a Buffel infantry support vehicle with extra protection for the troops on board. Modified for urban use during the apartheid era this vehicle was deployed in anti riot situations with the protection providing some insulation against projectiles such as petrol bombs etc. The army were not impressed and described the Police version as a Moffel... for a hint of the translation click http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/moffie
Like the Buffel the vehicle was of Unimog origin.
The well-known Unimog chassis is widely thought to be the best 4-wheeled offroad vehicle in the world. 'Portal' axles with reduction gears in the hubs give a combination of huge power transmission potential through a smaller differential and crown-wheel and pinion. Both these add up to give exceptional ground clearance. Coil springs allow each wheel to travel through a large arc, making sure that each wheel stays firmly on the ground. Selectable diff-locks prevent any slip between left and right and front and back, for when the going gets really tough. Into this chassis, the ADE (Atlantis Diesel Engines) equivalent of the 136 BHP OM 352 6-cylinder Mercedes Benz engine is built, which means there's no shortage of power to get away, and to achieve a top speed in excess of 90 km/hr. Thousands of these entered service with a number of armed forces.
On to this chassis is mounted a locally produced state-of-the-art two-cell mine-resistant body, specifically designed for Police use under the South African 'unrest' situations of the '80s and early '90s. What is immediately apparent is the all round visibility afforded through the enormous bullet-proof windows in both compartments. The vehicle's empty weight is 5.14 tonnes, hardly surprising that this is more than the 3.9 to 4.5 tonnes Tare for the 'normal' bodies! This allows for a 2.36 tonne load, to stay inside the 7.5 tonne design Gross weight.
Also noticeable is the lack of any wire-breaking steel upright in the front to prevent any crew-member foolish enough to ride with head or body protruding through the top from being decapitated!
