Many civilians are unaware that you can purchase an armoured vehicle with the benefit of no one recognizing that you have one. Civilian armoured vehicles are more luxurious than military armoured vehicles and even offer customizable options. These vehicles will protect you from smash-and-grab incidents, high-scale attacks, deadly weapons, rock-throwing, and grant protection from hijacking attempts.
If you are considering purchasing a civilian armoured vehicle, then here’s what you need to know.
1. Special Equipment
Interior and exterior equipment can differ amongst armoured vehicles and builders. Items that can be added include:
- Partitioning walls
- Automatic fire extinguishing systems
- Reupholstered seats
- Operable armoured sunroofs
- Sirens and an intercom system
- Reinforced bumpers
- Pepperboxes (pepper spray emission)
- Clip-in ballistic glass (on vehicles not fully armoured)
- Runflat tyres, runflat bands and military-grade run-flats
- Road Tack Dispensing System
2. Different Types of Armoured Vehicles
Whether you need an armoured vehicle for personal protection against street crime or for protection against complex attacks, Armoured Mobility provides bespoke solutions to meet clients’ requirements. For civilians, armoured vehicle options are plenty and there are numerous models of vehicles to choose from. Here are some of the popular vehicles you can armour:
Sedans: These often include, but are not limited to, models like the Audi 6 and 8, BMW 5- and 7-Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class. It is, however, possible to armour any sedan for civilian use.
SUVs: Popular SUVs include models like the Toyota Fortuner, Land Cruiser, BMW X models, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and GL-Class, Jeeps and Land Rovers.
Pickup Trucks: Pickup trucks (aka bakkies) are a very popular choice for civilians because of the versatility and durability they already have. Popular models include the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and the Nissan Navara.
Sports Car: While it is possible to armour a sports car, it’s exceptionally rare.
Minibus: Protected armoured minibus conversions are possible. Popular models hail from Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and VW.
Hatchback: It is possible to armour a hatchback. However, base-level protection is predominantly done because of the weight involved. A popular hatchback to armour is the VW Golf.
3. Armouring Standards for Civilian Armoured Vehicles
There are different armouring standards set for civilian vehicles. The one most commonly used globally is Ballistic Ratings (BR). This is a European classification standard against which materials and vehicle constructions are measured and certified. Materials are scaled into different grades that range from a level B4 to a level B7, with B7 being the highest protection available. In South Africa, there are only two levels of protection offered consisting of the B4 and the B6.
Purchasing an Armoured Vehicle is now more easily accessible and affordable. You can contact Armoured Mobility to discuss your custom armouring requirements.
