Built by Coventry's prestigious Alvis Company, renowned for crafting superior motor vehicles, the FV603 Saracen represented a shift in focus when operational demands in Malaya necessitated an armoured personnel carrier over the planned Saladin armoured car. The Saracen accommodated a two-person crew with capacity for ten troops: commander and wireless operator forward, eight soldiers in rear-facing bench seating along the chassis sides. Its robust cross-terrain capability and compact profile made it ideal for internal security and peacekeeping operations worldwide, establishing its legacy as a versatile platform for constabulary and garrison duties rather than conventional armoured warfare.
