In a recent report SVI engineering announced a collaboration with Ford SA to offer OEM backed bullet-proofing of its Ranger models. Now the Pretoria-based company says it offers its two levels of armour – B4 which allows the vehicle to withstand the fire power of handguns and B6, which offers protection against assault rifles, including the notorious AK-47 – for the Volkswagen Amarok V6 bakkie.
The conversion entails stripping the interior to the bare metal and building up the vehicle as an armoured unit. Special steel armoured plates and composite materials are used for the body and 38mm thick armoured glass replaces the original glazing. The suspension is upgraded to cope with the additional 650kg mass.
Because the Amarok V6 is equipped with a powerful 190kW and 580Nm diesel motor the company says this is enough to not require any modifications to the motor. The V6-powertrain still offering plenty of punch even after armouring.
The transformation takes around 12 weeks to complete and the end result is a vehicle that appears completely standard from both the outside and inside.
The B6 conversion pricing starts at R655,000 excluding VAT before options and the work comes standard with the SVI warranty of one year/50,000km for road use.
If you have concerns about the OEM warranty, VWSA’s product communications person Siyanga Madikizela, says: “The only real effect of armouring the Amarok is that the vehicle cannot carry the load it was designed for any longer, plus all the modifications warranty is carried by the converter.”
“For the rest, the warranty stays intact as long as the modifications are not the direct cause of any issues with the car.”
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