From March 1995, the French Army took delivery of 50 Peugeot P4 (4 × 4) 750 kg light vehicles fitted with a passive armour kit originally developed by the now Panhard General Defense as a private venture.

The French Army calls this version the P4 Protected. The first batch of 10 vehicles was delivered in March with eight of these going to the French Army operating in Bosnia. The remaining 40 were then delivered at the rate of 10 per month.

Since then, an additional 30 kits were ordered to bring the total supplied to the French Army to 80 kits.

In French Army service the Panhard General Defense P4 will be supplemented by the Panhard PVP (4 × 4) light armoured vehicle which entered production in mid-2007 and is covered in detail in a separate entry. Description

The layout of the P4 Protected is similar to the P4 (4 × 4) light vehicle which is the standard vehicle in its class in the French Army.

The engine is at the front, with driver and commander in the centre and a bench seat to the rear. At the very rear of the vehicle is a small load area, which is covered over by a steel sheet. Access to this is via an oblong door at the rear which opens to the right and on this is carried the spare wheel. To the rear of the crew compartment is a sliding door that opens left.

The installation of the passive protection kit on the P4 allows the occupants to carry out their peacekeeping operations with full protection from 7.62 mm small arms fire and from the secondary effects of anti-personnel mines.

The passive armour kit is made of high-hardness armour plate with bulletproof windows in the front, sides and rear. Four firing ports (one in front, one each side and one in the rear) are also provided and are covered by circular hatch covers when not required.

The upper part of each door with the integral bulletproof window hinges down on the outside and, if required, can be locked open at an angle of 15°. At the rear is a sliding door for emergency access, or when carrying a stretcher.

The passive armour kit can be mounted on the standard P4 vehicle at battalion level, without welding or drilling, using standard tools. It can also be quickly removed from the vehicle and stored for future use.

Standard equipment includes a defrosting system for the front window, folding front seat and a bench seat to the rear for an additional two passengers. All four occupants are provided with seat belts.

This could also be fitted with the Peugeot XD 3TE turbocharged diesel engine developing 105 hp and other options include power steering, power winch installed at the front of the vehicle and run-flat devices for the tyres.

The Peugeot P4 (4 × 4) 750 kg light vehicle is essentially the Mercedes-Benz 750 kg light vehicle (4 × 4) manufactured under licence in France. Panhard General Defense delivered a total of 13,500 vehicles, with final deliveries being made in 1993. The Panhard General Defense-built Peugeot P4 is, however, powered by a Peugeot four-cylinder diesel engine.