11. Garford-Putilov Armored Car
Country of Origin: Russia
This rugged and reliable behemoth, which weighed 11 tons, was built by the Russian army. The only problem with it was that it had a puny 30 horsepower to shift its significant weight, meaning that it could achieve a top speed of just 11 mph. Its top-heavy design meant that it didn't do that well when off-road either.
10. Ehrhardt E-V/4
Country of Origin: Germany
Used until the start of the Second World War for internal policing duties and weighing nearly 9 tons, the Ehrhardt was one of the first-ever high, flat-sided armored car designs. It usually had a crew of eight or nine, and could be armed with up to three machine guns.
9. Austin Armored Car
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
The Austin Armored Car was British, however, it's most famous for being used by the Russian Army during the First World War, as well as by different forces in the Russian Civil War.
8. Büssing A5P
Country of Origin: Germany
Production of this armored car began in Germany during 1916. It was powered by a 6-cylinder Bussing truck engine, and it had a large steel armored body to protect its crew of 10. Six of the crew operated three 7.92 mm machine guns, but some A5Ps featured an additional pair of two 20 mm cannons. They mainly served during the conflict on the Eastern Front in 1917.
7. Jeffery Armored Car No.1
Country of Origin: United States
Developed by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company of Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Jeffery Armored Car was first used for training purposes during the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916. There are no records of it being used in combat.
6. Lanchester
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
This was the second most numerous armored car in service at the time when the First World War broke out. It was originally intended for supporting air bases and retrieving downed pilots quickly.
5. Rolls-Royce Armored Car
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Although it was developed at the beginning of World War I, the Rolls-Royce armored car also saw action during World War II. It was modernized into its 1920 Pattern and 1924 Pattern configuration in 1920 and 1924 respectively. Some were still being updated as late as 1940, when 34 of them serving in Egypt received anti-tank rifles.
4. Charron, Girardot et Voigt
Country of Origin: United States
The Charron was an early armored car that was designed and built in France by the Georgian engineer, Mikheil Nakashidze. It had a Hotchkiss machine gun as an armament, with the gunner being protected by 7 mm thick armor. It could achieve a top speed of 31 mph.
3. Davidson Automobile Battery Armored Car
Country of Origin: United States
Notorious for having difficulty going up hills due to water sloshing about in its boiler, this steam-powered armored car was designed in 1901 by Royal Page Davidson and his students at the Northwestern Military and Naval Academy in Highland Park, Illinois. Just two of them were built.
2. Motor War Car
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
This was the world's first real armored car. Developed by British inventor F.R. Simms in 1899, it was armored by 6 mm thick plating and powered by a four-cylinder, 3.3-liter Cannstatt Daimler engine. It wasn't very fast, with a top speed of just 9 mph.
1. Armored Quadricycle
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Another creation of the British inventor, F.R. Simms, was designed and built in 1898. He mounted a Maxim machine gun on the front wheels of a De Dion-Bouton quadricycle. Protection came from an iron-armored shield for the driver, who also operated the machine gun.
