Engesa EE-12

     Notes: This light Brazilian-made vehicle is a small, jeep-like vehicle, with a conventional layout.  The top is soft, folding back if necessary; the doors are also canvas over a frame and are removable.  No weapon is provided, but there is a post that can mount any NLT, NMT, or NHT-compatible weapon, or an M40 recoilless rifle, or a light ATGM.  There is also a communications hard-top variant and an ambulance variant, carrying one stretcher and two wounded seated. Power is provided by an 85-horsepower GM-151 gasoline engine, a 50-horsepower VW Kombi engine, or a 90-horsepower Perkins 4.203 diesel engine. Transmission is manual; the brakes are power assisted, but the steering is not. The rear wheel track was widened by 20 centimeters early in production in order to open up more cargo space behind the rear seats. The maximum towed load is 250 kilograms; maximum fording is 60 centimeters, but the EE-12 is not amphibious. Most of the structural members and working parts of the EE-12 are of steel, treated with a robust anticorrosion coating. Large quantities of the EE-12 are used by Angola (theirs are fiberglass hard-topped), and they have also been exported to several Middle Eastern countries; they are not used by Brazil. Due to the EE-12 also being produced in a civilian version, and to make versions as interchangeable as possible, the EE-12 has comfort, especially in the seats, that most military vehicles do not have.

     A civilian version is also available; this is designated EE-4. These versions have mostly hard tops and doors. The demand for this version greatly outnumbered the supply, as Engesa only produced 60 per month, concentrating on their Angolan contract. In addition to the engines listed above, an 88-horsepower alcohol-only engine was available for the EE-4 (there are a lot of alcohol-fueled vehicles in Brazil). The electrical system of the EE-4 is 12 volts, while military versions have a 24-volt electrical system.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Though the EE-12 found prewar sales only to Angola, it was pressed into Brazilian service when shipping to that country disappeared. 

Engesa EE-15

     Notes: This is a light truck used by Brazil.  It is used by both civilian and military organizations, as well as individual civilians.  It has a high-strength chassis and is compact, yet capable of hauling a lot of cargo for its size.  Like the EE-12, the cab has a vinyl roof, and the cargo area can also be covered with a tarpaulin, but fiberglass and metal hard tops are available.  No weapon mount is provided. The EE-15, like many Engesa vehicles, uses common components and has a high parts commonality with other Engesa vehicles. A high base clearance makes the EE-15 able to tackle rough terrain, and the EE-15 can ford 90 centimeters of water, but the EE-12 is not amphibious. Most of the structural members and working parts of the EE-12 are of steel, treated with a robust anticorrosion coating. Engines include a Mercedes-Benz OM-314 diesel developing 85 horsepower and an OM-352 diesel developing 130 horsepower. Transmission is manual; the brakes are power assisted, but the steering is not.

     Versions include the standard cargo/troop carrier, ambulance, fire truck, and van body.  In addition to Brazil, this vehicle is used by Angola, Chile, Columbia, and Gabon.

Engesa EE-34

     Notes: This is a light truck used by Brazil that offers more versatility than the BT-50.  It is inspired by American designs such as the M715, and the similar form factor is easily seen. Standard form is a pickup truck with a canvas cover, but the vehicle is also available as a van body for communications, command, workshops, and other types, and an ambulance. The cargo truck has a post on the bed behind the cab that may mount any NATO tripod type weapon, an M40 recoilless rifle, or a light ATGM.  Construction is similar to other Engesa offerings, with most of the structural members and working parts of steel, treated with a robust anticorrosion coating. Like the EE-12, the cab has a vinyl roof, and the cargo area can also be covered with a tarpaulin, but fiberglass and metal hard tops are available. The engine is a Mercedes-Benz OM-314 diesel developing 85 horsepower. Transmission is manual; the brakes are power assisted, but the steering is not. The suspension is 4x4, switchable to 4x2 for road use. The EE-34 can haul one ton if it stays on roads. The EE-34 has a cutout on the right side behind the cab that is normally used to carry an extra fuel or water jerry can, but some civilians have attached a door to this cutout and used the space for vehicle equipment. The seats in the cab are actually rather well-cushioned and covered in vinyl.

     Unlike the EE-15, where a civilian model was manufactured, the EE-34 takes a minimalist approach that yet appealed to civilians that must do a lot of off-road driving. Civilians thus procured the military surplus EE-34s as the Brazilian Military exchanged their EE-34s for more up-to-date designs. In the end, however, it was Engesa’s bankruptcy that ended production of the EE-34, along with several other designs.

Gurgel X-12

     Notes: This is a series of civilian jeep-like vehicles adapted to military use.  They are produced using a large amount of Volkswagen parts, including the entire chassis of a Volkswagen Beetle.  Over this chassis is laid a body composed of steel-reinforced fiberglass, which the designer called Plasteel. The Gurgel, like many early Volkswagens, has a trunk at the front of the vehicle and the engine under the floor at the rear.  The X-12 is a 4x2 vehicle with limited off-road capability. The X-12 is powered by a Volkswagen Beetle gasoline engine developing 65 horsepower, with a manual transmission.  The X-12 is essentially a Volkswagen Beetle with a different body.

     The X-12-L is the basic model, with a removable canvas top, a light 2-ton winch at the front with 25 meters of cable, and a post for a weapon if the top is not mounted.  The X-12-TR is similar, but is a hard top model without a weapon post.  The X-12-RM is a hard top model with seating for only two, and a large cargo area at the rear.  The X-15 series are long wheelbase versions, with models similar to the X-12 and three rows of seats.

Bernardini Xingu BT-25

     Notes: This is a jeep-like vehicle in service with Brazil.  They are conventional in layout, and have a split windshield to accommodate a weapon on a mount.  The vehicle has a weapon post behind the front seats, and this may carry any NATO-tripod compatible weapon, an M40 recoilless rifle, or a light ATGM like a Milan or MAF.  The BT-25 has a winch in the front bumper with a capacity of 2.5 tons. On the front right side is a bracket for mounting a jerry can. The BT-25 and BT-50 are powered by a Mercedes-Benz OM-314 diesel developing 94 horsepower; later in production, this engine was replaced by an OM-364 diesel of the same horsepower rating, but more torque. At the same time, the transmission was replaced by one better suited to the new engine.

     The BT-50 may be thought of as a long wheelbase variant of the BT-25. The cargo bed is usually covered with a canvas tilt over bows.  The spare tire is usually carried in front of the driver's door instead of in back.  The vehicle is not usually armed, but a post is sometimes placed behind the cab, mounting the same weapons as the BT-25. The rear seat bench can be removed, and the BT-50 used as sort of a military pickup truck; in this case, the Crew Rating is 2.

Ford U-50

     Notes: This is a virtual copy of the Ford M38 Jeep, and the U-50 is in fact produced by Ford of Brazil.  It has an optional canvas top; if this is not fitted, the U-50 can use a post with a pintle mount behind the front seats. The U-50 is powered by a Ford I-4 OHC gasoline engine developing 91 horsepower; this engine is pretty OP in such a light vehicle. The transmission in a manual synchromesh. Fording is 35 centimeters of water, but the U-50 is so light that heavy flooding may sweep it away.

     A special model is a carrier for an M40A2 106mm recoilless rifle; in this variant, the rear cargo area and rear seats are removed and replaced with racks for 106mm ammunition.