The VBC 90 (Vehicule Blinde de Combat) was designed by Renault Vehicules Industriels specifically for the export market and was shown for the first time at the 1979 Satory Exhibition of Military Equipment.

The first production VBC 90 armoured car was completed in September 1981. It uses many automotive components of the VAB (4 x 4) which is in service with the French Army. The first of 28 VBC 90 armoured cars ordered by the French Gendarmerie were delivered in 1983 and are fitted with a SOPTAC 11 fire-control system incorporating a laser range-finder. Oman placed an initial order for four VBC-90 armoured cars with SOPTAC 11 fire-control systems. A further two vehicles were delivered in early 1985.

The Renault VBC 90 (6 x 6) armoured car is no longer being marketed.

The all-welded steel hull protects the crew from small arms fire and shell splinters and is divided into three compartments: driving at the front, fighting in the centre and engine at the rear. The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle on the left side and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right with three bulletproof windows for greater all-round observation, the centre one of which is fitted with a wiper.

The Giat Industries TS 90 turret is of all-welded steel armour with the commander on the left and the gunner on the right, both with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and an adjustable seat. An extractor fan is mounted in the forward part of the turret roof. Main armament consists of a long-barrelled Giat Industries 90 mm F1 gun with a 35° oblique wedge breech block, a hydropneumatic recoil system, a thermal sleeve and a muzzle brake. There are 20 rounds of ready to use ammunition carried, four in the turret basket and 16 in the turret bustle. The empty cartridge cases are ejected into a bag under the breech and the commander has an ammunition resupply hatch in the left side of the turret. A further 25 rounds of 90 mm ammunition are carried in the hull.

Types of Giat Industries ammunition that can be fired include canister, HE, HE long-range, HEAT, smoke and APFSDS.

Mounted coaxially to the left of the main armament is a 7.62 mm machine gun and there are two electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers mounted either side of the turret towards the rear.

A PH 9A white light searchlight is mounted coaxially to the left of the main armament and a second white light searchlight is mounted in the forward part of the turret and operated by the commander. The commander has seven (three M556, four M554) periscopes and the gunner five (three M556, two M554). The gunner also has a Giat Industries M563 telescopic sight with a magnification of x 5.9 for laying the main armament.

The gunner can also have a SOPELEM TJ N2 90A sight with a magnification of x 6 (day) and x 6 (night).

The SFIM SOPTAC 10A is the TJ N2 90A with a TCV 107 laser range-finder with range displayed to the vehicle commander with automatic display of target elevation in the gunner's sight graticule. SFIM SOPTAC 11A is the TJ N2 90A with a TCV 107 laser range-finder with automatic computing and display of range to the vehicle commander, and automatic display of target elevation in the gunner's sight graticule and lateral deflection (target movement speed) for firing at moving targets. All SFIM SOPTAC sights can be fitted so that the gunner's field of view is also supplied to the commander's sight.

The engine, transmission and fuel tank are at the rear of the hull, with a large door opening to the left giving easy access for maintenance.

Power is transmitted from the engine to the wheels by a torque converter and a gearbox with five forward and one reverse gears. Gears are shifted by a small electrically operated lever which also operates the clutch. The axles have differential reduction gears with double reduction and differential locking. The wheels are independently suspended by torsion bars and hydraulic shock-absorbers. Steering is hydraulically assisted on the two front axles and the tyre pressures can be adjusted to suit the type of ground being crossed. Unlike the VAB family of APCs, the VBC 90 does not have any amphibious capability.

Standard equipment on all vehicles includes a heater and a power-operated winch mounted internally at the front of the hull on the right side. This is provided with 60 m of cable and has a capacity of 6,000 kg. Optional equipment includes an NBC system and independent heating as well as the various fire-control systems previously mentioned.

In service with France (Gendarmerie, 28 delivered from 1983) and Oman (6). Production complete. The Renault VBC 90 is no longer being marketed.