Introducing the company
Established in 2017, Torsus was started by Ukrainians Vakhtang Dzukashvili (the company’s CEO today) and Yulia Khomich (director of strategy and head of legal). The company has its head office in the Czech Republic and its production facilities are in Slovakia. It sells its products to global customers in heavy industry, utility and government service as well as to individual buyers. Significantly, it has a partnership with MAN and Volkswagen when it comes to key chassis and powertrain technology – so the vehicles do come with considerable street cred. Also, the vehicles can be serviced at MAN dealers.
Torsus sells two different vehicles – the Praetorian and the Terrastorm – and they come in a variety of derivatives suited to various applications. They are available in both left and right-hand drive.
Praetorian: based on MAN TGM
The company’s flagship vehicle, the Praetorian is a 4x4 off-road bus based on an upgraded, heavy-duty MAN TGM chassis that is designed to transport personnel and equipment safely in the world's harshest environments.
It is powered by a six-cylinder MAN D0836 LFLAO diesel engine delivering 213 kW of power and 1,150Nm of torque coupled to a heavy-duty 4x4 off-road transmission. The bus can easily climb a 65 percent incline. Ground clearance (under the axle) is 400mm while it can handle a fording depth of 680mm.
From the Michelin XZL off-road tyres specifically designed for emergency response and tactical vehicles to the military-grade elastomeric coatings engineered for maximum durability and impact resistance applied to body parts, this is one rather unusual bus. The Praetorian is engineered to master any terrain, in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, the company claims.
The Praetorian – which can carry up to 37 people – is suitable for a wide range of applications in heavy industries such as mining, oil and gas, military, emergency response as well as tourism and leisure. It is also suited to use as a recreational vehicle (RV) and as a school bus.
In addition to its go-anywhere features, the Praetorian is also available with an adaptive seating option that meets international social distancing guidelines. The “Anti-Covid-19” social distancing pack ensures that passengers can be transported safely while meeting social distancing requirements.
In the 37-seat capacity bus, the double row seats on each side can be easily removed leaving only a single coach seat on each side. Each seat is then encased in its own protective pod crafted from 3.5mm thick clear plastic, specifically moulded to slot into the now vacant seat rails without causing any damage. When social distancing is no longer required, the bus can be simply reverted to its full capacity interior with no unsightly holes or damage.
Terrastorm: based on MAN TGE/Volkswagen Crafter
The 4x4 Torsus Terrastorm, which is based on a Volkswagen Crafter/MAN TGE 4Motion chassis and can accommodate from nine to 20 passengers, features a Euro 6 D 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine offered in two power guises – 103kW and 340Nm or 130kW and 410Nm – mated to a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission.
It is available as a minibus, van or as a versatile 4x4 all-terrain Flatframe chassis, ready to carry cargo or be converted into a truck with a recovery vehicle flatbed, dropside or tipper configuration.
It is designed to transport people and cargo to some of the world’s most inhospitable places, as Dzhukashvili notes: “Terrastorm is a vehicle that is at home on the dunes of the Sahara to delivering packages and emergency care work in the mountainous regions.”
The vehicle is offered in two trim levels – TT1 Coach and TT2 Nomad, both of which include an upgraded chassis and off-road suspension, all-wheel drive with a locking rear differential, an integrated winch in the Torsus front bumper capable of towing up to 5.5 tonnes, side steps, durable scratch-resistant coating on the lower body panels, and a bespoke Duraluminium skid plate running from the engine and gearbox down to the rear differential and fuel tank to prevent damage in particularly extreme conditions. The TT2 Nomad adds a front metal bull-bar and rear light metal grilles, a roof rack with integrated lights, a spare tyre rack and a rear ladder.
The off-road suspension has been upgraded to ensure optimum on and off-road capability. Up front, MacPherson struts and Bilstein B6 shock absorbers offer optimum comfort. At the rear, the suspension is a combination of leaf springs equipped with Ironman 4x4 Load Plus and optional Profender Dakar shock absorbers. The combination of the uprated off-road suspension and heavy-duty 17-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tyres gives the Terrastorm a ground clearance of 290mm, approach and departure angles of 26 degrees and 20 degrees, and a wading depth of 690mm. Potential buyers have the option to select the Deep Wave pack, which allows the Terrastorm to wade through up to 820mm of water.
Impressive warranties
Warranties on both the Praetorian and the Terrastorm are impressive. In the case of the Praetorian, it has a drivetrain warranty of up to six years/900 000km. It also comes with what the company terms a “whole vehicle warranty” of two years without any mileage limitations. The Terrastorm has a five year/500 000km drivetrain warranty and the same two-year “whole vehicle warranty”.
Companies wishing to represent Torsus as a distributor in South Africa can send an email to distribution@torsus.eu
