Ford has partnered with SVI Engineering to offer armour protection for the Ford Ranger in South Africa.
According to the South African Police Service’s annual crime statistics for 2019/20, there were over 18,000 vehicle hijackings in the country.
Ford took note of this and responded by making the Ford Ranger available with OEM-approved armour protection.
In order to achieve this, they partnered with SVI Engineering – a firm that specialises in the development and manufacturing of armour products.
“While we all wish there was no need for armoured civilian vehicles anywhere in the world, being able to provide outstanding levels of safety for customers is deeply rooted in Ford’s DNA, with armoured protection being no exception,” said Neale Hill, MD of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.
Along with being the first OEM-approved armoured bakkie, the Ranger can also be purchased directly from the dealer with the armour options already fitted.
Every derivative of the Ranger will be available as an armoured vehicle, and two levels of approved armour protection will be available for purchase – B4 and B6.
B4 Armoured Specification
This specification offers customers bullet-resistant protection against handguns up to a .44 Magnum.
The protection will consist of glass sheets that are between 18mm and 21mm thick, in combination with kevlar sheets for the body.
This specification is only available in a discrete option, and will add 280kg to the Ranger Double Cab without impacting performance to a large extent.
Build time for a B4 armoured Ranger is about 8 weeks.
B6 Armoured Specification
This specification is the highest level of civilian protection that is allowed without a special permit.
This level of armour has been designed to withstand rounds fired from the R1 assault rifle and the AK47.
Protection is achieved through the combination of 38mm glass sheets and special armoured steel plates.
This level of protection will add 650kg to you vehicle, but SVI makes sure to upgrade the bakkie’s suspension to support this.
Customers of this level can can choose between a discreet appearance, or the cost-effective non-discreet option called Stopgun V2.0 – with the latter offering more obvious protection that is visible outside of the vehicle.
Build time of a discreet B6 armoured Ranger is about 12 weeks, while the Stopgun option can be fitted in 2 weeks.
Areas of protection
B4 and B6 armour protection covers the following areas:
- All glazing surrounding the occupants
- A, B, and C-pillars of the vehicle
- Doors
- Firewall
- Rear of the cabin
- Front fenders to protect engine components and firewall
- Battery
- ABS unit
Additional Ford-approved armouring options for the Ranger include
- Roof armouring
- Floor armouring
- Bullbar and ballistic grill
- Run-flat ring system for tyres
- Public announcement system
Price
The prices below exclude the cost of the base Ford Ranger vehicle and VAT.
| Model | B6 Stopgun | B4 Discreet | B6 Discreet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Ranger Single Cab | R234,413 | R338,386 | R527,990 |
| Ford Ranger Super Cab | R271,163 | R454,371 | R688,225 |
| Ford Ranger Double Cab | R335,202 | R454,371 | R688,225 |
Every new Ford Ranger comes standard with Ford Protect, which offers a 4-year/120,000km warranty, 3-year/unlimited kilometre roadside assistance, and a 6-year/90,000km service plan.
In addition, customers also receive a 1-year/50,000km warranty on the armouring components from SVI Engineering.
Armoured Ford Ranger – Photos
Keyword: Bulletproof Ford Rangers now in South Africa – How much they cost