New Delhi. 24 February 2021. Bharat Forge Limited has received an order worth Rs 177.95 Crores from the Indian Ministry of Defence for supply of Kalyani M4 vehicles.
The M4 is an armored personnel carrier which can carry a maximum payload of 2.3 tons or a crew of up to eight. The 16-ton vehicle has an 43-degree approach angle and a 44-degree descent angle. The M4 is powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine. The M4 rides on 16–00 R20 tires, which translates to rim diameter of 20 inches, and 16–00 is a size that’s standard on high-performance off-road trucks, especially those used to race in the Dakar Rally. Michelin’s XZL series is a commercially-available example and they also happen to be the same variant used for the M4.
The tires are reinforced with run-flat inserts that can maintain tire shape and a certain degree of handling response even if they’re shot. Tyre pressure is maintained using a central tire pressure inflation system that pumps air when the vehicle is fully loaded and releases it on broken/unpaved stretches to improve braking.
