Puma M26: Mine & Blast Protected Vehicle

[Denom]

Had the opportunity to have a little TD of the Puma M26 couple of days back.

Based on a Tata 407 4X4 chassis, the end result is nothing like i've seen before.
The only tell tale signs are the tata dashboard/steering wheel/seats/pedals & gear levers

First off from the outside the puma looks every bit of a menacing ugly beast with angular lines & monstrous proportions. From no angle would you call this looking good but then its built for a purpose & hopefully it does that well (no chance of proving itself though, thankfully)

The tyres were truck sized Michelins, having atleast a foot clearance from the fenders, with the doors located atleast 6 feet off the ground & one requiring to perform some acrobatics to open the door handles & then getting oneself inside the vehicle by means of 2 piddly foot rests placed oddly & some grab bars. Since the doors are so heavy they are attached to pneumatic struts to swing them open but one needs all his/her strength to then manage to close the doors. The door sills are like a meter high & yet again one has to like 'jump through hoops' to go over them & land inside the vehicle without banging your head on the roof Tall people will have a nightmare! Luckily the foot wells are deeply recessed, otherwise it would a catastrophy to sit normally inside this vehicle! Seats are plain average bucket seats, mildly changed from the original tata ones provided. The Steering wheel is angled oddly with one having to hold like almost horizontally, it sure felt weird
Front Windshield is Compartmentalised into 2 pieces one for driver & the other for co-driver & are really small, with one barely getting a view out of them to see where one is going & no idea of what is below or next to this vehicle. Starting the vehicle was typical tata fare, nothing interesting. Luckily the vehicle had airconditioning with cool air blowing out of 2 huge boxes having vents on top of them, placed behind the driver & co-driver's seats, else one can get baked alive in this vehicle! The rear portion of the vehicle had some seats & tons of equipment all spread around in sealed plastic bags. The Roof top in the centre had a circular duct opening presumably for a gunner to do his job with bracketing in place outside for attaching the big gun

The Gear box was really hard to operate, especially slotting into gear & its difficult to concentrate keeping an eye on the shift on one hand & try to get some judgement from the poor view afforded from the tiny windscreen, wonder how the driver would be able to do so in a war like situation Adding to this confusion, reversing this vehicle with absolutely no view is a massive undertaking in itself. The wing mirrors provided are too small for the job at hand

At the end of it, as long as its good for the intended purpose, everything else is secondary!

Will put up some pics shortly!

 

[RSM]

Mine & Blast protected vehicle, how did you get chance to see it?

 

[Denom]

Top Secret buddy ;)

 

[350Z]

As usual, Denom is back with another test drive review of a not-so-ordinary ride. I think I know the secret. Now, don’t make us wait too long for the pictures of this monster. And yes, It indeed looks boxy and somewhat hideous.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[Denom]

Puma M26

 

[Crazy cat]

6000cc turbo diesel, 145 hp @2500rpm, 6 speed, 500 nm torque @ 1500rpm, can seat 11 and a weight of 7 tonnes. I guess it is much bigger than M&M Axe. And most probably it'd be for pure off-road use, or use during violence or emergency and of-course strictly by Indian Army.
But why it is sold in South Africa and no badge of Tata or even no mention of this beast in India?

 

[Denom]

But why it is sold in South Africa and no badge of Tata or even no mention of this beast in India?

CC,

Would you like it to be sold through normal dealerships through out india???
Its manufactured by a company called OTT in South Africa, Tata chassis sent there & returned back in this fashion BTW, It will be on display in delhi during INDESEC, New Delhi, India from 6 – 8 September.
Our Delhi mates can check it out there

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

nice pic,
i cant imagine how you climb up?

 

[Shynish M]

At the end of it, as long as its good for the intended purpose, everything else is secondary!

But, what is the intended purpose this vehicle

Hey, got it!

The Puma M26 is a Mine and Blast Protected Vehicle. It is built on a commercial truck drive-line.

The V-shaped hull Puma M26 4 x 4 is an armored personnel carrier (APC) with mine and IED protection.

Check it here Puma

 

[raj_5004]

i wonder why the doors were designed like this...

are you sure this is based on a tata chassis? the website says this is built by a south african company.

 

[Denom]

i wonder why the doors were designed like this...

are you sure this is based on a tata chassis? the website says this is built by a south african company.

Yup, Tata 407 4X4 Chassis. OTT is the name of the company manufacturing these vehicles in south africa. Don't forget the purpose of the vehicle, specially designed for armed forces. Doors, et all must be designed with specific purpose/requirement.
-----------Next Post-----------

But, what is the intended purpose this vehicle

Hey, got it!

The Puma M26 is a Mine and Blast Protected Vehicle. It is built on a commercial truck drive-line.

The V-shaped hull Puma M26 4 x 4 is an armored personnel carrier (APC) with mine and IED protection.

Check it here Puma

LOL, purpose of the vehicle is in the TITLE of the thread itself!!!
wanted to put up the link myself but somehow it did not appear. Thanks for doing the needful.

 

[Akash]

Great drive Denom. You always come up some really unusual but interesting td reviews. Good work.

 

[cooldhaya]

Wow i wonder how you got a chance to TD such vehicles!


I cant even imagine a tall guy like me entering inside!

 

[AMG]

Tata Military Vehicle Spied

Tata Military Vehicle Spied

 

[jalex]

Re: Tata Military Vehicle Spied

Tata Military Vehicle Spied

Now thats an assault vehicle! And ahem the right fender looks pretty much assaulted alright