What’s the Point of Armoured Cars?

Even though we call ourselves The Tank Museum, at heart we are the museum of the Royal Armoured Corps. That means we don’t just have tanks - we have a wide range of armoured fighting vehicles that tell the story of the Corps. Within that collection sits the armoured car. On the surface it can seem redundant: tanks are better armoured, have superior cross-country mobility and usually carry bigger guns. So why do armoured cars - a concept that predates the tank - remain in service today? After all, a Ferret doesn’t sound nearly as intimidating when up against the likes of the Chieftain. If you're seeing this, why not leave a comment telling us what you think is the best armoured car we talked about in this video? Or, if you loved the video, give us a like! Interested in learning about tanks? Subscribe to The Tank Museum and enjoy hours of FREE tank content at your fingertips. And if you're a real Tank Nut, why not consider becoming a channel member or joining our community on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/tankmuseum Pre-Order The Tank Museum Guide to Daimler Ferret: https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/the-tank-museum-guide-to-daimler-ferret Looking for some amazing gifts for the tank nut in your life? Shop our wide range of tank products at our online shop https://tankmuseumshop.org/. Or grab a copy of The Tank Museum Guide to Rolls-Royce Armoured Car: https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/the-tank-museum-guide-to-rolls-royce-armoured-car 00:00 | Introduction 01:25 | Starting Small 02:49 | Speed Demons 09:40 | Going Global 13:13 | Only the Enemy in Front 19:28 | Go Big or Go Home This video features archive footage courtesy of British Pathé. In this film, join James Donaldson as he unearths the lesser-known history of the armoured car. These speed demons have been zooming round the battlefield since before the tank was even a concept, and even today they can play a significant role in major campaigns. Fast, feisty, and packing a ton of punch, armoured cars are an important part of the armoured fighting vehicle story. And maybe, just maybe, we might race some vehicles around our arena… Want to learn more about the history of armoured cars? Here are some of the sources we used to make this film: ‘The Tank Museum Guide to Daimler Ferret’, Pat Ware, 2026. ‘The Tank Museum Guide to Rolls-Royce Armoured Car’, David Fletcher, 2025. ‘The Rise and Fall of the British Army’, 1975–2025, Ben Barry, 2025. ‘Panhard Armoured Car Haynes Enthusiasts’ Manual’, Simon Dunstan, 2019. ‘How France Fought a Lightning War in Mali (Op Serval)’, Battle Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT5U-JQ8Puw Support The Tank Museum! - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/tankmuseum - Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@thetankmuseum/community - Friends: https://tankmuseum.org/support-us/friends-of-the-tank-museum - Online Shop: https://tankmuseumshop.org/ - Workshops Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TankMuseumWorkshop #tankmuseum