This is a Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV, it’s the US military variant of the Swedish-built Hägglunds BV206, a fully-amphibious vehicle that can be used on water, snow, ice, mud, sand, gravel, and asphalt, and it can accommodate up to 17 people.
The M973A1 is powered by the 3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz OM603 turbodiesel inline-six and power is sent to the tracks via a 4-speed automatic transmission. These have largely been retired from military service now, and as a result they’re now in civilian ownership.
Fast Facts: The Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV
- The Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV is the US military version of Sweden’s BV206, a fully amphibious articulated tracked vehicle designed for use on extreme terrain. It can operate on snow, ice, mud, sand, water, gravel, and asphalt, with capacity for up to 17 occupants depending on configuration.
- The BV206 was developed by Hägglunds to replace the Volvo Bv 202, keeping the proven articulated two-section layout while introducing modernized engines, transmissions, and greater payload flexibility. Although few parts were shared, the core concept remained unchanged due to its effectiveness in harsh environments.
- More than 11,000 BV206 variants were produced and adopted by over two dozen nations, alongside extensive civilian use in polar research, search and rescue, and remote logistics. Its low ground pressure and powered front and rear tracks allow traversal of terrain inaccessible to conventional wheeled vehicles.
- The 1989 M973A1 featured here uses a 3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz OM603 turbodiesel inline-six producing 136 bhp and 197 lb ft, paired with a 4-speed automatic. It’s been updated for civilian use, it has been refinished in bed liner, it’s equipped for off-road use only, and offered with a bill of sale.
History Speedrun: The Hägglunds BV206
The Hägglunds BV206 was developed to replace and improve upon the Volvo Bv 202. This was no small job, the Bv 202 had proven itself as one of the toughest and most capable all terrain vehicles in history – able to cross essentially surface – be it land, water, or some ungodly combination of the two.
This is a Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV, it’s the US military variant of the Swedish-built Hägglunds BV206, it’s a fully-amphibious vehicle that can be used on water, snow, ice, mud, sand, gravel, and asphalt, and it can accommodate up to 17 people.
The Volvo Bv 202, also known as the Bandvagn 202, was developed by Bolinder-Munktell which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swedish automaker Volvo. It was designed as a two-part articulated vehicle with a two seat front section to carry the a driver and a commander, and a rear section that can carry 8 to 10 troops or cargo.
Interestingly the Bv 202 was powered by a version of the B18 automobile engine, an inline-four petrol engine with overhead valves, two valves per cylinder, a displacement of 1.8 liters and a rather modest power output of 82 bhp.
Later versions of the vehicle would receive the upgraded B20 engine, now with a swept capacity of 2.0 liters producing 97 bhp. Both manual and automatic transmission variants were built, and steering was accomplished via an articulated joint between the two cars.
The Hägglunds BV206 was developed closely based on the design of the earlier Volvo Bv 202, there were no major interchangeable parts but the concept worked so well that there was no need to invent a better mouse trap so to speak.
The engineers at AB Hägglund & Söner made a number of improvements, engine and transmission options were modernized, the front car could now carry far more people (or cargo), and many further upgrades were made under the skin.
The Hägglunds Bandvagn BV206
The BV206 would prove to be a remarkably successful vehicle despite the fact that it had relatively limited use cases – generally only deep snow or untraversable muddy marshes.
The M973A1 is powered by the 3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz OM603 turbodiesel inline-six and power is sent to the tracks via a 4-speed automatic transmission. These have largely been retired from military service now, and as a result they’re now in civilian ownership.
Over 11,000 of them were made, they have been bought by the militaries of over two dozen nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Malaysia, Israel, and Argentina.
They also play an essential role in both Arctic and Antarctic science outposts, remote search and rescue, and exploration.
Much like the earlier Volvo Bv 202, the BV206 uses an articulated two vehicle design with steering accomplished by altering the angle between the front and rear sections.
It has a front mounted engine, with both petrol and diesel engines being used over the course of production depending on the version. A common variant uses the Ford Cologne 2.8 liter petrol V6 mated to a 4A-018 automatic transmission.
Both the front and rear tracks are powered, which gives the vehicle remarkable traction over essentially any terrain all while imparting less ground pressure than a person on skis.
Thanks to its sealed body the BV206 is fully amphibious and capable of speeds up to 4.7 km/h on the water – it’s not quick but it’ll get you there. Many are now being sold as military surplus into civilian hands and companies like Tracked Outdoors specialize in restoring and selling them.
Thanks to its sealed body the BV206 is fully amphibious and capable of speeds up to 4.7 km/h on the water – it’s not quick but it’ll get you there.
The Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV Shown Here
This 1989 Hägglunds M973A1 SUSV (Small Unit Support Vehicle) is a U.S. Army-spec version of the Swedish-designed BV206, delivered to military service in August of 1989 before being released to civilian ownership decades later.
The vehicle was acquired by the current seller and transported to Utah in 2024, where it was prepared for sale as an off-road-only vehicle offered with a bill of sale and no reserve. The A1 designation denotes the upgraded six-cylinder configuration, replacing the earlier five-cylinder engines used in initial M973 variants.
Power comes from a 3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz OM603 turbodiesel inline-six rated at 136 bhp in military trim with 197 lb ft of torque, this is paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. An enclosed driveline links the articulated front and rear units, sending power to all four tracks front and back.
The vehicle was previously painted in military green but it’s since been refinished in black bed liner. Equipment includes rubber tracks with front drive sprockets and five road wheels per side, cargo rails over the rear unit, a forward-mounted diamond-plate toolbox, rear and side access doors, rear steps, a rear wiper, and rubber bumperettes.
The interior has been updated with replacement black cloth bucket seats in the front and reupholstered seating in the rear. Additional features include a heater, roof hatch, sliding windows, dual bilge pumps, fire-suppression system, and a 24 volt electrical setup.
Power comes from a 3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz OM603 turbodiesel inline-six rated at 136 bhp in military trim with 197 lb ft of torque, this is paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission.
VDO instrumentation includes an 80 km/h speedometer, a dealer-installed 6,000 rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges, with the odometer showing approximately 5,000 kilometers, around 500 of which were added by the selling dealer.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Richmond, Utah on Bring a Trailer for off-road use only with a bill of sale. If you’d like to read more or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
