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It was originally designed for the U.S. Army. However, it now patrols shopping centers in Michigan.
If you are anything like the Motor1.com scribes, every morning you wake up and think about which vehicle you would like to purchase. We didn’t think of a eight-wheel, military-spec armored personnel car, but Ted Yadlowsky did. He and some of his friends were apparently not satisfied with HumVees and 22-inch wheels, so they lifted Ford pickups and bought this thing to make it street legal.
It is called the GPV Colonel and was initially manufactured in Michigan by General Purpose Vehicles. It is one of several military-purpose vehicles that the manufacturer makes, but it remains a mystery how Yadlowsky and his associates came across this particular vehicle. Another quick internet search shows that Yadlowsky headquarters and GPV headquarters can be found within 45 miles of each other, which could explain why it was so difficult to find this machine.
It doesn’t matter. It’s important to note that the 8×8 transport is equipped with mirrors, turn signals and headlights. And, yes, it can also drive through concrete walls up to a feet thick. The differential lock is a great option to send power to all eight wheels, allowing it to drive through any terrain. It’s also amphibious. Yadlowsky claims that no preparation is required ahead of time. Just drive into the water, turn on the pumps, and the Colonel will take over.
As demonstrated in the video, it will also care for road rage drivers in vans. Although we don’t know how heavy this thing is, its armor plating can withstand heavy weapons fire so it shouldn’t be too light. We know that it isn’t light judging by the way the thing moves – and then climbs – over the white van.
According to the video description, this vehicle is the only privately owned amphibious combat vehicle in all of the world. We don’t know if it is but we think this beast would make for great entertainment.
