What it costs to buy the first armoured Chery in South Africa

Armoured Mobility has built South Africa’s very first bullet-resistant Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max, which is capable of stopping round fired by a handgun.

The SUV will cost you R1,299,900, though bear in mind this includes the cost of the car itself, which starts at R669,900, making the Chery one of the more accessible armoured cars on the market.

Safe travels

The armoured Tiggo 8 Pro Max is locally built at Armoured Mobility’s factory in Johannesburg, and the process has been approved by its original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Chery South Africa.

This is important because it means the modifications will not affect its after-sale support, and customers retain their 5-year/150,000km warranty, 7-year/90,000km service plan, and 10-year/1-million km engine warranty.

Additionally, Armoured Mobility includes its own 2-year workmanship warranty and a 5-year warranty on the ballistic glass, and customers can purchase the car on a finance plan.

The protection itself is rated at a B4 level, which refers to the grade of ammunition that the armour is able to withstand. In the case of B4 protection, the armour is meant to hold up against rounds up to and including those fired by a .44 Magnum handgun.

This is in contrast to the stronger but heavier and more expensive B6 grade, which can protect occupants from assault rifles like an AK47 or R1.

The advantage of the B4 setup used on the Max is that it only adds a combined 140kg, which doesn’t compromise agility or performance and allows the Chery to be one of the lightest armoured vehicles in its class, according to Armoured Mobility.

The armouring process involves swapping out the standard glass for ballistic glass (including the sunroof), reinforcing the A, B, C, and D pillars, and armouring the front and rear doors, the roof, and the cargo area.

The wheels are also substituted with a set of run-flat steel bands, and an intercom is added to allow occupants to communicate with those outside without needing to open a door or window and put themselves at risk.

None of the 8 Pro’s amenities have been compromised by the conversion, so users still have access to all seven seats and items like an all-round camera system, parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control.

The company also sells a handful of optional extras, including emergency lights, military-grade run-flats, a pepperbox, and a dashboard camera with live streaming.