4x4s.org BASE MODEL · 1985–2010
BASE MODELFrance

Panhard VBL (1985–2010)

A very small armoured scout: 4×4, three crew, three and a half to four tonnes, fully amphibious at 5.4 km/h, on the Peugeot XD3T turbo-diesel of 95 hp and later the DW10FC of 130. About 2,600 were built between 1985 and 2010.

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Sources & evidence
Panhard VBL (1985–2010) — A Panhard VBL.Handelsgeselschaft · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
MODEL LINEVBLBUILT BYPanhard, Marolles-en-HurepoixPRODUCED1985–2010OPERATED INFrance, Greece, OmanPRODUCTIONAbout 2,600LAYOUT4 wheels

The record

The French programme began in 1978 to replace the worn-out Hotchkiss M201 jeeps: one machine gun for reconnaissance or MILAN missiles for anti-tank work, and protection against small arms and NBC hazards. France took 1,380, Greece 242, Oman 124, Nigeria 72 and Botswana 64, with more across Africa.

Specification

MANUFACTURED1985–2010
ENGINEPeugeot XD3T turbo-diesel, 95 hp; later DW10FC, 130 hpPeugeot XD3 · Peugeot XD3T
PRODUCTION RUNAbout 2,600
COUNTRY OF ORIGINFrance
OPERATED INFrance, Greece, Oman, Nigeria, Botswana
STATUSin service
RECORD KINDBase model
MODEL LINEVBL
FAMILYVBL
WHEELS4
BODY STYLEScout
VARIANTS1

Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.

Body styles & colours

Factory colours

  • NATO Green

Codes on hover. Hex values are representative approximations of period paint unless a source states a measured value.

AI rendering impression

An AI rendering impression starts from a 3D model of this vehicle, which an image model then paints into a scene. It is an artist's impression of the type, made to give a feel for the vehicle in its element — not a photograph, and not a record of any particular vehicle.

Proportions, fittings, markings, colours and the setting can all drift from the original in the process. For the vehicle's actual details, rely on the specification, the photographs and the cited sources on this page.

Sources

  1. 1Panhard VBL ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-23SOURCE

Registry record updated 2026-09-23 · status: researched