The Fast Israeli Patrol Vehicle That Changes the Game

The historic oil route in the Golan Heights is one of the roughest stretches of road you can imagine: torn asphalt with serrated edges interspersed with mischievous gravel, some sections tight, others loose, potholes of dozens of centimeters scattered like shell craters, and occasionally, a treacherous ground fold hiding behind a seemingly innocent mound. In addition to the asphalt hazards, we encounter wild boar herds crossing the route as if there’s no tomorrow, and now and then a tank emerges, covering us in thick dust.

All these distractions are on my mind, but there's one thing I don't worry about— with every kilometer passing under the Patrol-X's tires, I realize I have never, ever experienced a machine like this. Here are 2.5 tons of high-speed vehicle, plus 320 kg of four passengers. I just got on it a few minutes ago, and now it’s speeding me at triple-digit speeds over this horrific terrain. I try to push away any thought that isn’t complete concentration on reading the road, but it doesn’t always work, and when we close in on a huge, treacherous crack, I slam the brakes with a light touch on the steering wheel. The Patrol-X enters a drift-slide at a precise angle and then just before the crack, I release the brakes and we cross the crack diagonally, allowing each wheel to independently handle the event.

I’d love to pat myself on the back for the precise execution, but let’s be real, this machine makes it clear to everyone that “limitations” are mainly in the driver's seat, not in the vehicle’s components. Rego's Patrol-X dashes with absolute nonchalance as its right wheels smash through 40-50 cm deep dirt, and the left ones stay on the asphalt, and the vehicle continues straight as if nothing happened, without steering struggles or any sign of the kinetic catastrophe running beneath us—unbelievable. The trail test with the Patrol-X sparked a burst of Israeli pride in both of us, the kind we’ve sorely missed in recent months.

The Beginning of the Story

Our thoughts have been focused in recent months on the fighting forces and the fate of the hostages, but the issues of the Gaza envelope did not begin on October 7th; for decades, a 'cat-and-mouse' battle has been waged in the south between arms and drug smugglers and the IDF and Border Police forces trying to impose order in the surface area. It turns out that 'Philadelphi' is not some virtual entity but a desert axis surrounded by treacherous dunes, fast trails, and crumbling asphalt roads.

As early as the 1950s, Egyptian 'Fedayeen' gangs were infiltrating from the Gaza Strip into Israel, smuggling, looting, and even attacking settlers—by 1955, they managed to reach the orchards of Ness Ziona. The Israeli security forces would chase the gangs on foot or in primitive vehicles, in the spirit of that era. Later, chases were conducted with standard jeeps, clumsy Hummers, and other vehicles that struggled with the task. Smuggling activities continue to this day, relying heavily on 'Mavericks' similar to those used by the smugglers—but our vehicles fail to withstand the operational driving load with four fighters on board. This situation is not unique to Israel; Americans face the same problems at the border with Mexico, as do various armies around the world.

The need for a fast patrol vehicle was identified by Rego-Automotive Ltd, operating in Kibbutz Mahane Yam in the north. Rego was established in 2013 by Eli Yarkoni and Itzik Mini and functions as a motor development center, having already produced a wide range of military off-road vehicles—they can be powered by gasoline and diesel or be electric, and some are even autonomous. Rego does not aim to produce large series; for this purpose, it relies on external bodies such as Plasan Sasa, which manufactures and markets the armored patrol vehicle "Wilder," autonomous electric trailer ATeMM, and other tools whose silence is golden.

The Jewish Mind Creates Innovations

The intended uses of the Patrol-X required a combination of desert racing vehicle features with the combat doctrines of IDF and Border Police scout units. The central requirement was to create a vehicle capable of achieving the highest possible speed in the field (in terms of the guys, it means: outpacing a two-seater Maverick), and also to compete on the road with enhanced SUVs (in the guys' terms: overtaking a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by an adrenaline-soaked smuggler). To this end, Rego designed a lower subframe with a honeycomb structure, connected to an upper roll cage welded from 4130 steel tubes. This concept provides an excellent weight-to-strength ratio and also allows quick disassembly of the lower part, in which the power unit is installed. The engine cradle disassembles with just 8 bolts, allowing high accessibility for maintenance and field repairs. For regular maintenance, there is excellent access to the power unit from both sides.

In the minimalist passenger compartment, four racing seats are installed, and the exterior body was designed by the "Padoa Design" studio from Tel Aviv, run by Alex Padoa. The rugged body was designed with a nod to the civilian market that Rego aims for later on. The original concept and engineering design of the Patrol-X were the work of our acquaintance Itzik Mini, who brought decades of racing vehicle building knowledge to the Kibbutz workshop. One of the special features of the Patrol-X is the placement of the V8 engine, centrally-rear in a reversed position from the norm. To achieve a 50:50 weight distribution, the power unit with the engine is installed at the rear, with the transmission and transfer case at the front. This places 1,350 kg on the rear wheels and 1,300 on the front, providing the vehicle with steering and maneuverability unknown in the military world. The frame gives the Patrol-X a very low center of gravity and high rollover resistance.

Another important feature is the four unique independent suspensions, based on Rego-Automotive's revolutionary differential. This is a unique development with a global patent. Without going into tedious details, the Rego portal differential allows axle extension to double the length possible with a regular differential; the extended length provides the vehicle with extreme suspension travel, 55/50 centimeters front and rear. The longer axles are also more durable than conventional length axles. This structure maintains an overall vehicle width of 1.96 meters, a necessary condition for helicopter belly transport.

We felt the importance of the massive travel with every entry into a pit or rock step, as the Patrol-X flattens the trails amazingly. But every off-road enthusiast knows that suspension travel is an excellent feature for off-road driving but not ideal for the road, and how will we catch the smugglers? For this purpose, another unique mechanism was developed, a dynamic stabilizer bar that allows control over the operation of the two stabilizer bars.

The mechanism relies on electric actuators that change the mounting of the stabilizer bar, allowing selection between 'sport' mode for the road, 'general' for mixed use, and FLEX for off-road work. Modes can be changed while driving, and the difference between them is amazing: in 'free' mode, the vehicle sends wheels into every pit, but it is less suited for high-speed driving. We switched it to 'sport' mode and were amazed to find sports car-like steering sharpness—unprecedented for a high off-road vehicle with off-road tires. Ultimately, we preferred to drive off-road in 'general' mode, and on-road in 'sport'. When climbing rocks and obstacles, we chose 'free' mode.

The Patrol-X has permanent 4X4 drive with low range, three controlled lockers, 40 centimeters of ground clearance, and 37-inch tires on beadlock rims. The steering is sharp and fast, and the vehicle can reach speeds of 170 km/h on the road. The capabilities package is highly homogeneous, very forgiving of driver errors. Among the road trials in natural hunting fields (treacherous summer dunes, large stream channels, technical off-road capability), the Patrol-X was also subjected to laboratory tests—it successfully passed the Technion labs and the 'Magal' lab with European certification. Among other things, the vehicle passed the 'moose test' simulating fast zigzagging between road obstacles at 110 km/h—a remarkable achievement for a dedicated off-road vehicle weighing 800 kilograms. Airbags allow loading the vehicle up to 2,000 kilograms.

Where is the Market?

Several security agencies have shown strong interest in the Patrol-X, and our excellent personnel have conducted initial tests. These potential clients' feedback was crucial for Rego. They were not only impressed by the Patrol-X’s capabilities but also noted that it would significantly impact their arrival times, allowing faster travel day or night. The vehicle's speed and comfort may warrant adjustments to tactical procedures.

Rego is ready to customize the Patrol-X for various uses—gasoline engines (up to the LS3 V8 from GM with 600 hp or more), diesel engines for refueling from existing fuel sources, or electric engines for quiet operations with no heat signature.

Moreover, the Patrol-X uses many off-the-shelf components, notably the engine and transmission, which simplifies maintenance and availability. This allows for significant parts of the vehicle's cost to be covered in dollars, thanks to U.S. aid. The roll cage is designed to accommodate different weaponry and observation systems and can be operated remotely.

So, have we found the perfect patrol vehicle? It’s highly likely, though development is nearing completion. Rego is now seeking a strategic partner for production and marketing, as they do not see themselves as a large-scale car manufacturer.

Rego can produce several dozen units but not hundreds—a long-term goal. They aim to transition to serial production within a few months and plan to offer a civilian version for extreme off-road, racing, or family use later. The civilian model will be stronger and wider, without airbags, and feature high-end finishing. Optional upgrades include a supercharged LS7 engine up to 700 hp.

Conclusion

We have never encountered a military vehicle like this. It’s not an HMMWV or a Zibar, nor is it like the Zim-Ag or the Flyer. The Patrol-X feels like a fusion of all these with a Lamborghini Aventador and Ferrari GTC4 Lusso.

But it’s no fantasy. The Patrol-X combines racing insights, engineering, and experience into a precise tactical solution. The integration of extensive desert trail experience with operational needs has resulted in a vehicle unlike anything we know. On our way home, we agreed that if there’s one thing more astonishing than the Patrol-X’s performance, it’s that it came out of a small workshop in Kibbutz Mahane Yam. Any other company would need a large factory, engineering teams, test drivers, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in R&D. This is 'Israeli chutzpah' at its finest, and we wish our outstanding team great success in turning this technological achievement into a major commercial success.

Tested by: Uri Glasner

Technical Details:

• Model: Patrol-X by Rego-Automotive

• Engine: GM LY6 V8 atmospheric gasoline

• Displacement: 6.0 liters

• Max Power (hp): 430/4,500

• Max Torque (kg-m): 56.5/4,200

• Transmission: 6-speed automatic

• Top Speed (km/h): 177

• Drive: 4x4 for road and off-road, with low range

• Off-Road Aids: 3 differential locks, stabilizer bar control

• Length (m): 4.35

• Width (m): 1.95

• Height (m): 1.80

• Wheelbase (m): 3.16

• Ground Clearance (cm): 40

• Tires: 37/12.5R17 on beadlock rims

• Curb Weight (kg): 2,650