What it costs to make a Mercedes-Benz bulletproof

South Africans can now purchase a Mercedes-Benz van that can protect its occupants from gunfire in the event of an attack.

SVI Engineering, a local company specialising in vehicle armouring, has partnered with Mercedes-Benz South Africa to produce a V-Class that can resist shots fired from a high-calibre handgun.

The cost of the armour installation for the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is R960,750, excluding VAT.

Bear in mind that this does not include the cost of the vehicle itself, which starts at R1,285,562 and goes all the way up to R2,206,698.

Peace of mind

The Gauteng-based armourer typically provides two options for the vehicles it services – B4 and B6 – which refer to the protection level offered.

The converted V-Class, which is based on a V300d model, is rated at a B4 level, meaning it is able to withstand bullets fired from anything up to a .44 Magnum revolver in calibre.

This is achieved through the use of ballistic glass and lightweight Kevlar and steel sheets, which are woven into the body panelling to provide a 360-degree field of cover.

“Level B4 discreet represents the ideal anti-hijack solution and also delivers protection during brick-throwing incidents and against other hand-held projectiles,” said SVI.

The benefit of the discreet protection method is that the car is practically indistinguishable from its regular counterparts, as the only immediate giveaway is the 21mm-thick ballistic glass windows.

All of the vehicle’s functions remain intact, though owners will no longer be able to lower the windows entirely due to the heavier glass panels that require the fitment of a new motor system.

By default, SVI will armour the body panels and doors, but customers can also opt for additional protection for the floor and roof.

In total, the B4 reinforcement adds roughly 400kg to the vehicle, but thanks to the 2.0-litre, turbocharged diesel engine’s output of 174kW and 550Nm, the performance decrease is negligible.

Importantly, since the armouring process is approved by the manufacturer, the van will retain its 5-year/100,000km warranty and 7-year/140,000km maintenance plan once the conversion is complete.