Armormax have long been renowned for their development of new armoured luxury products for South Africa, and on several occasions have set the standard globally when it comes to up-armouring new vehicles. The plethora of new models introduced to South Africa over the last 18 months set in motion several new projects for the firm.
The latest of these is based on the Land Rover Defender. The Defender has proven to be a popular product amongst SUV owners, and its dimensions and layout have lent itself well to an armouring conversion. As with all product development at Armormax, these conversions are developed for both B4 and B6 levels of armour. B4 protection defeats the threats of all handguns which are popular in most attacks because of the ease with which they can be concealed. B6 protection defeats the threats of commonly used assault rifles, such as the AK47 and R5, and can even withstand grenade attacks.
This week Armormax have completed their first three units- one in B4 guise which belongs to Armormax and will be used for demonstration purposes, while the other two are B6 units built for a long-standing client. As with all Armormax conversions- discretion, quality and uncompromised functionality are the key drivers of their offering. As such, the conversion is not discernible to the naked eye from the outside, and barely noticeable from inside barring a few key elements such as a blanked-off, armoured but still operable sunroof and rear windows that no longer open. Fit and finish is comparable to that of the standard factory vehicle and vehicle dynamics are largely unaffected.
Crucially in the form of the B6 version, the 3rd row of seats and cargo area are not compromised where this would normally be the case in a B6 with the installation of a rear bulkhead. All three chassis versions of the Defender can be converted, that being the 90, 110 and 130 respectively. The B4 Defender will soon be available to experience at the Jaguar Land Rover Experience Centre upon special request by dealer customers. Armormax has put its money where its mouth is by offering their vehicle to show that the armoured version is still as agile and capable as the standard version on the obstacle course and the skidpan.
Michael Broom, Sales and Marketing Manager for Armormax says “We were massively excited to take on the Defender project as we really felt it would offer armoured car owners’ great versatility and the safety they are looking for. Since announcing the development of the Defender, we have already received another 6 orders and expect this to continue to be a popular choice. Having driven our own vehicle extensively before and after the armouring process, I can personally attest to it feeling no different to the standard car, other than the obvious peace of mind it brings you on South African roads.”
Pricing for the Defender packages is as follows:
B4: R782 000 incl VAT
Includes all glass replaced with ballistic glass with steel rebated edges, all doors and panels protected with lightweight synthetic armour, armoured A, B and C pillars using lightweight synthetic armour, entire roof and sunroof armoured using lightweight synthetic armour, run-flat tyre system and PTT intercom system. Added weight is under 200kg.
B6: R1 728 000 incl VAT
Includes all glass replaced with ballistic glass with steel rebated edges, all doors protected with lightweight synthetic armour, armoured A, B and C pillars using ballistic steel, entire roof and sunroof armoured using lightweight synthetic armour, firewall and crucial body shell areas armoured with ballistic steel, floor armoured with lightweight synthetic armour, front fenders armoured with ballistic steel, fuel cell protected with Armorcote self-sealing treatment, battery and ECU protected with lightweight synthetic armour, run-flat tyre system and PTT intercom system. Added weight is approximately 600kg and still well within the vehicle’s GVM.
Production of a B4 vehicle takes approximately 15-20 working days, while a B6 takes 55-60 working days. Note that all Armormax conversions are approved by Jaguar Land Rover South Africa, so the owner will not sacrifice their warranty or maintenance plan as they would with any other armouring company.
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