Dominator 1

A 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe served as the base. Meteorologist Reed Timmer (who led the SRV Dominator projects) and his team converted the ordinary SUV into a mobile lab. The goal: get as close to the tornado as possible and collect data.

What was added for protection:

bulletproof sheet metal and transparent Lexan (high-strength polycarbonate plastic) armor to protect the crew from flying debris;
external safety cage and racing belts - in case the car rolls over.
Important limitation
The Dominator 1 is not designed to fully intercept a tornado. The main reason is the lack of a shoring system (such as anchor spikes), which was introduced in later versions of the series. Its purpose is to get as close to the storm as possible, but not to withstand a direct impact.

Testing and improvements
The car's life was eventful and not always safe:

In 2009, during a tornado in Aurora, Nebraska, the storm suddenly surged directly over the car. The Lexan driver's side window failed to close completely and shattered. Reed Timmer and one of the passengers suffered lacerations from shrapnel. Following the incident, the car was further reinforced, with reinforced armor (including LINE-X coating) and the addition of useful research tools.
Mid-season, a vertical scanning radar (Starlink) was installed to help "sense" winds at different altitudes within the tornado. Compressed-air launchers were also installed to launch wireless parachute probes for data collection.
Late in the 2010 season, while attempting to intercept a powerful EF4 tornado in Wadena, Minnesota, the vehicle slipped, an incident that nearly resulted in disaster.
At the start of the 2011 season, serious mechanical problems arose: the all-wheel drive failed, the Lexan driver's side window wouldn't close properly, and the brakes and hydraulic system almost completely failed. Some of the issues were resolved.
The car was abandoned in 2018.