In the West, many tuning studios are involved in upgrading cars to resemble armored cars, and some companies even produce custom armored pickups. In Russia, there’s also a studio that has built a truly awesome armored car based on the domestic GAZ-3308 “Sadko” truck.
The well-known Nizhny Novgorod company RIDA, known for building armored vehicles based on premium sedans, has unveiled its latest development. This time, it wasn’t a Mercedes-Benz or a Lexus that was modified, but a GAZ-3308 “Sadko” truck, which was transformed into a true armored car capable of driving in combat zones. The vehicle was named the Rida Buran.
Its main feature is the modular design of its armored hull. In its normal state, the Buran is a six-door, six-seater SUV with a small cargo platform.
However, the cabin, rear part of the passenger compartment, and platform are made independent of each other, so, if necessary, the rear armor module or platform can be dismantled and another module can be installed in their place — for example, a flatbed truck without passenger seats, a kung, or a tank.
The cabin can also be dismantled, but this is done for ease of maintenance and transportation. The vehicle modules are protected to class 3, that is, they can withstand fire from a machine gun with 7.62 bullets with a steel, non-heat-strengthened core.
The glass is protected to a higher fourth class. The Buran has four hatches and two windows in the roof, the doors are equipped with deadbolt locks, and the cabin is equipped with air conditioning.
Another interesting feature is the seats that are not attached to the floor; they provide additional protection for the crew in the event of a vehicle explosion from below. The vehicle is powered by a 4.4-liter YaMZ-534 turbodiesel. It is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission and a transfer case. The drive is selectable all-wheel drive, with a downshifting range.
The maximum speed of the Buran is 105 km/h. Average fuel consumption is 14 l/100 km. Such a moderate “appetite”, coupled with a large fuel tank (2×105 l), allows the vehicle to be used on long forced marches — the vehicle’s cruising range on a full tank reaches 1,600 km.
