Most popular bulletproof cars in South Africa

SVI Engineering has published a list of the five most popular armoured cars in South Africa.

The Gauteng-based company specialises in developing armour solutions for the nation’s most popular models, covering everything from hot hatchbacks to bakkies and SUVs.

However, some products are clearly more popular than others, as SVI recently announced that it has sold 90 armoured Toyota Hilux units this year.

This is hardly a surprising outcome of course, given that the Hilux is the best-selling vehicle in South Africa.

Even so, SVI noted that all five of its best-selling armoured solutions were for vehicles with ladder-frame platforms, comprising three bakkies and two SUVs.

Ladder-frame platforms are well-suited for these kinds of overhauls as they are more than capable of handling the added weight of the bulletproof components.

That being said, SVI also has packages for passenger cars like the VW Golf GTI, which is an ideal model for security firms with rapid response teams.

Bakkies are clearly the number one choice though, as the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok were the second and third most popular options with 29 and 22 units, respectively.

Interestingly, 21 of the 29 bulletproof Rangers commissioned this year were for the high-performance Raptor variant.

The other two top picks were the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado, which sold 11 and 7 examples.

SVI pointed out that the Prado remains in short supply in South Africa and that customers face lengthy waiting lists, which means that demand for the armoured version could go up if supply improves.

The company’s two main armour services are called B4 and B6, which refer to the calibre of weapon the armour is designed to protect against.

B4 is cheaper and lighter, and can protect its occupants from handguns up to and including a .44 Magnum, while B6 is a more comprehensive package that can defend against assault rifles like an AK47.

B6 is the highest grade of bulletproof protection available to civilians without the use of a special permit.

The cost of the service is quite steep, however, as the B4 service tends to cost between R650,000 and R750,000 (excluding VAT), depending on the model.

B6 protection, meanwhile, can cost over a R1 million, and these prices exclude the cost of the vehicle itself.