South Africans can now purchase armour packages for the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, ensuring maximum protection against would-be attackers.
The armouring solutions are provided by Armormax, a local company operating out of Gauteng.
The conversion process is offered in two stages – B4 and B6 – which offer varying levels of protection, with pricing for the armour levels as follows:
- Range Rover B4 protection – R782,000
- Range Rover B6 protection – R1,728,000
The Range Rover Sport has a starting price of R2,100,200 and goes all the way up to R3,163,000.
The flagship Range Rover, meanwhile, starts at R2,961,900 while the top-of-the-line specification comes in at R4,683,600.
This means the cheapest armour package you can buy is a B4 grade Range Rover Sport, which will cost R2,882,200, whereas the most expensive Range Rover, combined with B6 protection, will set you back a whopping R6,411,600.
Armormax is approved by Jaguar-Land Rover South Africa so the process does not affect the buyer’s warranty and maintenance plan, it said.
B4 vs B6 protection
The terms B4 and B6 refer to the armour’s ability to hold up against varying calibres of firearms.
The B4 class is designed to defend against handgun fire, up to and including rounds fired from a .44 Magnum, while B6 affords even greater protection against all small arms including assault rifles such as the AK47.
To achieve this, B4 armour replaces the windows with ballistic glass, reinforces the doors, body panels, pillars and roof with lightweight synthetic armour, and replaces the standard tyres with run-flat wheels.
The B6 grade then takes it a step further armouring the floor, encasing crucial components like the battery in synthetic protection, reinforcing the front fenders with ballistic steel, and covering the fuel cell with an Armorcote self-sealing treatment.
Both grades also add a push-to-talk intercom for occupants to communicate with people outside without needing to open the doors or windows.
It takes roughly 15 to 20 days to produce a B4-grade Range Rover, while the B6 requires 55 to 60 days.
Keyword: Buying an armoured Range Rover in South Africa – A R6.4-million investment