You can now buy a bulletproof Lexus LX in South Africa – Pricing

South Africans can now purchase a Lexus LX SUV that is capable of stopping bullets fired by an assault rifle.

Despite having been on the local market for little more than a month, the carmaker’s flagship vehicle has already been converted by SVI Engineering, a Gauteng-based company, to protect its occupants from armed assailants.

“Right now, the Lexus LX is arguably the best luxury SUV on the local market for B6 armouring, offering an unrivalled blend of opulence and ruggedness,” said Nicol Louw, SVI’s business development director.

“With our B6 protection package installed, this may well be the ultimate armoured luxury SUV.”

The ultimate armoured luxury SUV

SVI provides two levels of armour classified as B4 and B6 – which refers to the grade of ammunition and firearm they offer protection against.

B4 grade means the car can stop a shot fired from a high-calibre handgun like a .44 Magnum, while B6 is the highest vehicle armour grade that is commercially available without a special permit, keeping occupants safe from assault rifles like an AK47, R1, or R5.

Protected at a B6 level, the LX’s protection solution incorporates several custom-fabricated steel plates in the doors, composite materials integrated into the bodywork, and high-grade 38mm ballistic glass – similar to that of the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 that SVI produced last year.

On top of this, the Lexus features an armoured bulkhead with an escape hatch behind the second seat row, as well as additional roof and underbody armour, heavy-duty run-flat tyre rings, and a PA system for external communications.

The suspension has been upgraded to support the increased weight, and the door hinges had to be replaced with heavy-duty ones to hold up the heavier frames.

However, according to SVI, the modifications have no discernable impact on performance thanks to the powerful range of engines the Lexus is equipped with, including a 3.3-litre, V6 turbo-diesel with 225kW/700Nm or a 3.5-litre, twin-turbo V6 petrol that generates 305kW/650Nm.

Pricing

The cost of SVI’s vehicle armour packages are as follows:

Lexus LX 360-degree B4 armour – R771,930 (excl. VAT)
Lexus LX 360-degree B6 armour – R1,060,369 (excl. VAT)

Bear in mind that this does not include the cost of the car itself, which is available in five specifications:

Lexus LX 500d – R2,507,600
Lexus LX 500d F Sport – R2,517,500
Lexus LX 600 – R2,553,600
Lexus LX 600 F Sport – R2,568,700
Lexus LX 600 VIP – R2,986,000

This means motorists will need to pay anywhere from R3,279,530 to R4,046,369 (excl. VAT on the armour packages) to own an armoured LX in South Africa.