Jackal

History

The result, developed under the factory codename 'Jackal' and sold commercially as the Runner XD (eXtra Duty), was announced on 18 January 1996 as an order for about 8,000 vehicles worth nearly £170 million. The Jackal is far more than a repainted civilian Runner. A computer-aided redesign strengthened the chassis and axle casings — the Salisbury-type axles were reworked with stronger internals, hubs and outer casings after repeated breakages in trials — and the bodywork and canopy frames were reinforced to improve rollover survivability. After nearly thirty years of service the Jackal fleet began final withdrawal from front-line MoD service in 2026, its longevity a testament to the strength of the original XD engineering.