Jun 02. BATTLESPACE’s Editor drove the new EURO III engined Pinzgauer during DVD and the results were impressive. The Editor had driven the ambulance version in 1996 during the trials period and found the vehicle a touch sluggish and underpowered. With the addition of the new EURO III VW 2.5 5-cylinder Tdi engine, the vehicle has been given a new lease of life and its massive low rev torque performance was impressive over the arduous Long Valley Alpine course.
In addition Roush Technologies has redesigned the cab and interior giving greater driver comfort. This new ‘driver friendly’ design gives the driver complete confidence when driving the vehicle at fast speeds across rough terrain.
This new design and power improvement has enabled Automotive Technik to offer the vehicle for a number of new roles including rapid Reaction, Specialist Containers and the 6×6 version has been used extensively for ambulance and electronic system fits. The vehicle has already been selected for the ASTOR Ground Station role.
Since 1993 the company has successfully introduced the Steyr Puch Pinzgauer into the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) and supplied over 700 vehicles to the Army, Navy and Royal Air force. There are now over 10 different jobs carried out by the Pinzgauer including, Ambulance, Light Gun Tractor, Communications Carrier and Bomb Disposal and Troop Carrier. Automotive Technik has delivered over £2.5m worth of vehicles and £1.1mm in engineering contracts to the British MOD during the year 2000. The current order book stands at £3.4m and includes vehicles for the UK MOD, Oman, Croatia and Saudi Arabia.