NIKO Group, which has been operating in Ukraine and the EU for over 30 years, is launching a new direction under its company NIKO SpecAuto – certified production of military-grade armored pickups under the NIKO brand.

As Denys Fomenko, CEO of NIKO SpecAuto, announced, the company plans to produce around 30 of these vehicles by the end of 2024 to meet the needs of specific agencies that perform specialized tasks.

The newly developed pickup, named NIKO, is designed as a versatile vehicle platform based on the Isuzu D-Max. It is equipped with armored protection (AP) and a winch with a pulling capacity of 7,620 kg (16,800 lbs) for off-road lifting and towing.

"From the outside, our pickup looks no different from a standard vehicle... Despite the increased weight, it maintains maneuverability and road safety," Fomenko said.

According to the company, the NIKO pickup has a payload capacity of 1,100 kg, which is 35% higher than comparable models in the same class and price range, such as the Toyota Hilux and SsangYong Musso. The developers believe this allows the vehicle to be used as efficiently as possible for transporting cargo and carrying out other specialized tasks.

NIKO SpecAuto LLC designs and manufactures armored civilian and military special-purpose vehicles for various needs.

NIKO Group is one of Ukraine's leading operators in automotive retail and distribution, with companies also engaged in logistics, agriculture, IT, insurance, and other sectors.