This is the Leopard 1A5, a German tank that’s faster than you think, and probably even more uncomfortable than it looks.
With Inkas Vehicles‘ help, Supercar Blondie’s self-appointed tank specialist Sergi Galiano had the chance to drive it and he loved it.
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The Leopard has been around forever.
It was designed during the Cold War and upgraded several times since.
This model in particular was built in the 1980s, and even though it’s been decommissioned a while ago, everything still works – including the turret and the rocket launcher.
The tank was originally designed by Porsche but, ironically, it was actually built by Mercedes.
So think of this as a Porsche 911 or an AMG GT.
If you’re wondering who ate all the pies, well, this tank did.
It is 9 meters long (29 ft) and weighs 52 tons, which means it is probably heavier than your favorite celebrity’s private jet.
It was obviously designed for battle, not comfort, so everything about the driving experience is a workout.
In order to get in, for example, you have to climb on top of the tank and use the (surprisingly narrow) pothole-style doors located on the roof.
And then, once you get inside, you’ll find yourself in a dusty, hot and claustrophobic space.
The Leopard has almost the same seating layout as a McLaren F1.
You’ve got two seats at the back, for the passengers, and then the driver’s seat at the front.
It is more or less centrally located, albeit slightly offset to the right-hand side of the vehicle.
Once you’re inside, you’ll find yourself in a space that vaguely resembles the cabin of a car.
You’ve got pedals, a dashboard and even a yoke-style steering wheel – sort of like a Tesla.
So there you go, the Leopard combines the merits of a McLaren, a Mercedes, a Porsche and a Tesla.
Despite weighing the same as a small planet, the Leopard is deceptively fast.
It can do 100 km/h (60 mph) and, more importantly, it can achieve that speed on any surface – and ‘over’ anything.
In the clip, you can see how easy it is to drive over a car at full chat – forward and in reverse.
The car is made from metal and yet it bends and breaks like it’s made from plastic.
By the way, the tank can still fire live rounds.
They’re powerful and loud, producing a cloud of dust and a deep-toned ‘boom’ in the process.
It’s a good job Sergi and Nathan were wearing ear plugs.
Generally speaking, ownership of a tank is not prohibited per se.
Having said that, only certain tanks can be purchased, and they obviously can’t be driven (duh) on the road.
Plus, you need to be reasonably well-off to buy one: a Leopard tank just like this one starts at $1 million.
Huge thanks to Inkas Vehicles for helping with the shoot.
