South African motorists have shown a penchant for armoured vehicles in recent years off the back of a rise in violent crimes and kidnappings, so much so that prominent armouring companies have gained approval from car manufacturers themselves to fit their vehicles with bullet-resistant protection without voiding the warranty.
In the 2021/22 financial year, Gauteng-based SVI Engineering, a leader in the armouring field, recorded an increase in turnover of 51% and delivered 130 armoured vehicles to customers, and in the current financial year, it has already seen another turnover increase of 57% and aims to get around 200 cars into the hands of their owners before the end of the year, the company told TopAuto.
Approximately 80% of these orders are for corporate clients and 20% for private clients, the majority of whom elect to armour brand new vehicles off the showroom floor in order to “get the most from their large financial investment,” said SVI.
Getting an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to sign off on an aftermarket armouring package is no small feat, however, and not just anyone can do it.
“To get full factory approval is a timely and sometimes costly exercise. SVI was audited many times recently by several OEMs which even meant flying in external parties for the certification,” said the company.
“Basically, because the vehicle is heavily modified, the OEM needs to ensure that quality standards and procedures are in place before it will get their stamp of approval. This can involve full strip downs, durability testing, ballistic testing, etc…”
SVI therefore warned that potential armoured car customers do their due diligence before pulling the proverbial trigger on a vehicle that is claimed to be backed by its factory warranty.
More often than not, the armouring company will only have a “good relationship with a dealer down the road” who has agreed to service the armoured vehicle if any problem arises but will have no stamp of approval from the OEM itself.
With this in mind, there are three major firms in South Africa that have gained OEM approval from select carmakers, namely Armormax, Armoured Mobility, and SVI Engineering.
Armormax
Below are the manufacturers that Armormax have either full endorsement, approval, or acknowledgement from as a reputable armourer, which the company can issue in writing:
- Audi
- BMW Group
- Haval/GWM
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Nissan
Armormax did not clarify if these vehicles will retain their factory warranties, however.
“We do also have other manufacturers and dealers we work with all the time who for various reasons will not issue anything in writing to us or to a client,” said Armormax.
These include:
- Bentley
- Mercedes-Benz
- Porsche
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
“These are based primarily on building relationships with [the manufacturers and dealers] over the years where we have always received assistance with our client’s vehicles,” said Armormax.
“In some instances, their principals may not allow them to endorse a third party in such a manner, just as they would not endorse any other aftermarket fitment.”
As a ballpark figure, the company told TopAuto that its most popular armouring packages vary from R780,000 up to R1.9 million.
Armormax B4 Jaguar I-Pace
Armoured Mobility
At present, Armoured Mobility has one product available with an OEM-backed warranty, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max.
According to the firm, the SUV “has received the official stamp of approval from Chery South Africa” and retains its 5-year/150,000km warranty, 7-year/90,000km service plan, and 10-year/1-million km engine warranty.
The SUV costs R1,299,900 including the cost of the car itself, which starts at R669,900.
Armoured Mobility B4 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max
SVI Engineering
SVI currently boasts OEM certification from three major manufacturers – Ford, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Toyota.
Ford has given the firm Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) certification that covers the Ranger and Everest for B4 and B6 level armour while leaving the factory warranty intact.
SVI also has Mercedes VanPartner status that applies to the B4 armour option on the V-Class without affecting its after-sales agreements, and it an “authorised converter” for select Toyota commercial vehicles.
SVI further said that it hopes to launch a new vehicle with Toyota as well as another German OEM within the near future, but that these are still pending.
The company’s prices range between R588,000 to R1,207,000 – not including the prices of the vehicle itself – and depend on the type of armour and vehicle chosen.
SVI B4 Ford Ranger
Keyword: All the armoured cars you can buy with factory warranties in South Africa