Red Bull Volvo Sugga based on a Land Rover Defender?

In Dubai we snap a custom Red Bull off-roader that’s based on Landy, not the classic Sow
By Shahzad Sheikh

We spotted this amazing car in the car park of the Airport Free Zone where Red Bull has its local HQ – or at least we think that’s where it is considering the number of Red Bull Minis normally parked there. What was it though?

At first glance it appeared to be a classic Volvo Sugga, but not only was it too new and too fresh to be based on the tough off-roader from the 1950s, but well… read on…

Let’s go back a little bit… ‘Sugga’ means sow or mother pig in Swedish. The nickname was given to the Volvo TP21 produced between 1950 and 1958 (of which only 720 cars were built) because of the vehicle’s snout-like blunt front end and the rounded rear.

In fact it was based on the leading Swedish taxicab of the 1940s and 50s, the Volvo PV800 series also dubbed the ‘sow’. It proved quite a versatile car and there were also lorry and ambulance versions.

The four-wheel drive off-road version, based on a light truck frame, apparently depicted here, was built for the military as a command and communications vehicle. They labelled it Raptgb 915 and the Swedish Defense Force used these for over 30 years. They are worth around $20,000 in original unrestored condition.

This particular car, whilst it looks the part, did not appear to be genuine Sugga. If the doors look a little familiar, then you won’t be surprised to peer in and find a Land Rover Defender interior!

It appears this car has been built up to look like a Sugga but on a Defender chassis. Not only that, but judging by other mock ‘Red Bull Sugga’ editions, this is probably a mobile entertainment unit, and those spare rear petrol cans are actually loud speakers that flip up – we think.

We don’t know much more about it, but it looked brilliantly executed and presented, and we’d love to see it in action!

Know anything about this particular car? Let us know below

6 responses to “Red Bull Volvo Sugga based on a Land Rover Defender?”

  1. Stephan says:

    Hi, look here, the car is now in Germany, with a license plate from Munich.
    Tell me your email, i can send you 2 pictures.

    see you
    Stephan

  2. Tor says:

    Saw it in Bergen, Norway on august 26.
    Norwegian license plate DP 10030

  3. luke says:

    spotted it today in Hartbeespoort dam South Africa
    My grandfather has an original Sugga and we where amaized to see another one considering we thought he had the only one in South Africa ( it a pitty this one is not original )

  4. Mau says:

    I sometimes work with red bull in events and one time rode one, they all are modified land rover defenders, the exterior made to look as a Sugga. inside there’s a pop out plasma screen, the roof opens and doubles as a DJ booth, the gas cans on the sides are speakers. They have one for each territory red bull has presence in, I’ve seen them in Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica.

  5. big redBULL truck says:

    i drive one of these sugga red bull EVT`s they are based on a lwb defender chassis with only the doors and door pillars being land rover original but covered in a grp mould from a sugga,

    as stated above there fitted with a full AV and media system for dj and PR events, at last count there was currently 15 sugga based vehicles world wide but are being replaced slowly by ex army pinzegeurs and custom chassis built ford f350s(america,canada, south america), uk will keep these for atleast another 5 years due to there low miles and cost new.

    in short awsome to drive around in, easy to work on, but hideous to drive and very rattly and noisy when driving on the motorway,
    much prefered the old ww2 ambulance based on a range rover mk2 v8 chassis.

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