Maung MV3 Garuda to Become Main Car of Indonesian Officials
In early March, the Indonesian state defense company "PT Pindad" confirmed its readiness to launch mass production of the "Maung MV3 Garuda Limousine" - an armored executive SUV, previously used to accompany the presidential inauguration of Prabowo Subianto. The first to receive the cars will be the coordinating ministers and ministers of the "Red and White Cabinet" of the Indonesian government. The president continues to use his exclusive Maung for official trips.
The SUV is based on the general-purpose military vehicle "Pindad Maung". The presidential version features a chrome body and a luxurious leather interior with four individual seats. "Maung" is translated from Sundanese as "tiger". The presidential car is also named after Garuda - the king of birds, the riding animal (vahana) of the god Vishnu and the main symbol (coat of arms) of Indonesia.
The MV3 Garuda Limousine is 5 meters long and just over 2 meters wide. The vehicle weighs almost three tons, thanks to its composite armor.
The SUV is equipped with bulletproof glass and 21-inch wheels with puncture-resistant tires. Additional features include electric running boards, a head-up display, all-round cameras, a smart TV, a refrigerator, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The MV3 Garuda Limousine is equipped with a 2.3-liter diesel engine that produces 202 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque. The vehicle is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, allowing the SUV to reach a top speed of 100 km/h.
The military design of the government vehicle, according to the president, should reflect both his management style and the government's determination to fulfill its duty to the people of Indonesia. The President has long dreamed of having civil servants use domestic cars, and "Pindad" has developed a solution to this problem.
Despite the patriotic nature of this decision, some public organizations have already managed to criticize the "expensive and fancy SUVs", calling on civil servants to switch to public transport or drive regular cars without special signals and police escort (one of the key privileges of civil servants in Jakarta).
