SVI Engineering has produced an armoured Toyota Land Cruiser 300 capable of providing full protection against small arms fire.
The company, which specializes in armoured vehicles and other products, has previously made modified versions of the LC200 series, which the new model is said to improve upon in several ways.
“The armoured Land Cruiser 200 has proven to be one of the most popular civilian vehicles with SVI clients over the years,” said Nicol Louw, Business Development Manager at SVI.
“Since the new Land Cruiser 300 is both lighter and more powerful than its predecessor, it’s even better suited to receiving our painstakingly developed B6 solution.”
Armoured off-roader
“The J300 series Land Cruiser makes for the perfect VIP vehicle when fitted with the Bashewa-based firm’s comprehensive B6 bullet-resistant package,” said Louw.
B6 armour is the highest grade of civilian protection legally allowed without a special permit, allowing the Toyota to sustain fire and fully protect occupants from assault rifles like the AK47, R5, and R1.
The vehicle was tested in accordance with VPAM 7 tests to identify potential weak points against ballistic threats, said SVI, the armour itself consisting of custom fabricated steel plates, composite materials, and 38mm ballistic glass for 360-degree protection.
Like the LC200, a rear bulkhead, including an escape hatch, is placed behind the second row, however, it has been moved further towards the rear on the new SUV to free up storage space and allow for greater reclining on the seats.
All of the Land Cruiser’s driver assistance features, including external sensors, are unaffected by the modifications, too.
Pricing
SVI’s latest bullet-proofing package is available on all new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 models at a starting price of R981,823 excluding VAT.
However, this is on top of the minimum of R1,321,700 required to purchase a Land Cruiser 300, and the final value of the 4×4 is estimated to be roughly R3.3 million, according to Louw.
Clients typically purchase the vehicles themselves and bring the car to SVI for modification, but Louw also said SVI can buy the vehicle and deliver it to the customer fully armoured, but this can result in an added premium to the cost of the final product and is subject to waiting times for the new vehicle.
Customers can also opt for additional paid-for extras such as an armoured roof, armoured floor, and heavy-duty runflat rings.
It takes four months to build a unit of the car, said SVI, and the company will also be manufacturing the vehicle at its Saudi Arabian branch for left-hand-drive markets.
The first armoured Land Cruiser 300 is complete and is currently awaiting delivery to its new owner.
SVI Toyota Land Cruiser 300
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