Range Rover P530 LWB Autobiography, armoured

The base is a Range Rover L460 long wheelbase, fifth generation assembled in Solihull, 3,197 mm between the axles for 5,252 mm in length, in Autobiography trim, above SE and below the SV from Special Vehicle Operations. The P530 is the V8 version, above the six-cylinder D350 and P400.

This V8 is of BMW origin: 4,395 cm3, two turbos, 390 kW or 530 hp, 750 Nm, eight-speed automatic gearbox, all-wheel drive, 2,708 kg unladen in standard configuration. For this 2025 model year, it is the S68 with a 48 V network, the non-hybrid N63 of the first L460s having been replaced during the 2024 model year. Land Rover has raised the air intake and redesigned the oil pan for off-road use.

The armouring of a Range Rover of this generation is the work of specialist companies, as Land Rover reserved its factory armouring, the Sentinel certified VR8 by QinetiQ, for previous generations. The conversion encloses the cabin in a 360-degree ballistic steel cell, including pillars, roof and floor, with overlaps at the door seams to cover the joints, multi-layer glazing shaped to match the original parts, protected fuel tank, battery and ECUs, and run-flat tyres. The hundreds of kilos added require upgrades to the brakes, running gear and hinges.

All these values are those of the standard Range Rover P530 LWB Autobiography: the unladen weight, 0 to 100 km/h and top speed shown do not take into account the armouring, which adds several hundred kilograms and reduces performance.

The protection level of an armoured vehicle is certified by a nominative certificate linked to the serial number, which states the standard and its version: it is this document, and not a commercial designation, that serves as a reference for an insurer.

Two practical consequences. First, the weight: above 3,500 kg GVWR, driving requires a C1 licence and not a B licence, and the French tax on kerb weight, due from 1,500 kg, is based on the value entered in the documents of the converted vehicle, not that of the standard model. Second, maintenance: multi-layer glazing, reinforced hinges and run-flat tyres are specific parts, handled by the conversion workshop and not by the Land Rover network, with lead times to be anticipated.