SVI Lite - Affordable Armour Protection
Safety and security rank high amongst consumers shopping for a new vehicle. The increasing threat of theft and, worse, armed hijacking often sways buyers away from popular vehicles and specific brands. SVI Engineering understands this and has developed an affordable, entry-level solution for popular models.
Ignoring the crime in South Africa doesn't magically make it go away. Everyone is at risk, and additional measures must be taken to ensure your safety and that of your loved ones. This consideration affects your vehicle buying decisions as one would often steer clear of high-risk makes and models, opting for something less desirable to minimise the risk of hijacking and theft. StatsSA noted that hijackings increased by 2.5% for the 2023/2024 period over the previous year, showing the steading rise of forced redistribution of property.
Related: Hijacking still a major problem in SA according to Tracker
Armoured vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, offering additional protection against gunfire and violent attacks. Whether you're a high-profile individual or simply anxious about your travel routes, an additional layer of security adds peace of mind to help you go about your day.
Vehicle Armouring Options
SVI Engineering provides several options for armoured vehicles. Level B6 is the highest level that can be added to a civilian vehicle and is capable of stopping 7.62mm FMJ assault rifle rounds, while B4 is a lighter, more affordable option that is capable of stopping .44 Magnum handgun rounds.
For a medium-sized SUV like a Toyota Fortuner, the 360-degree level B4 protection starts at R700 000 - a pricey exercise in anyone's language. Adding underbody or roof armouring naturally increases this cost. Level B6 armouring for the same Toyota Fortuner starts at R890 000. This is all, naturally, over and above the cost of the vehicle itself.
SVI Lite - The Affordable Alternative
While it's true that one cannot put a price on your life, these prices are too often a deterrent for many who live in fear. SVI has identified this and engineered a solution to cater for those with smaller budgets who still want peace of mind and protection from the most common weapons used in vehicle hijackings.
Currently available for the Toyota Corolla Cross and Ford Ranger, the SVI Lite options allow you to choose how many doors and windows (a closure) you wish to armour, allowing it to better fit your budget. The armouring consists of door armour and ballistic window glass per closure, and you can choose from 1 door through to all 4 doors.
The lighter-duty ballistic glass allows the windows to operate as normal (in most cases), allowing you to roll down the windows for ticket booths, guard houses, and biometric access points. The window rails are modified to make this possible, but the light-duty nature of the ballistic glass allows for the original mechanisms to be used. With the glass and door armour combined, only 15kg is added to the total weight.
It's important to note that the front windscreen and rear windows are not treated, nor are the door jambs, but the armouring does cover the most important areas of the door and window. While it is possible to add front windscreen and rear window protection, the costs associated with these additions make them impractical, and the costs would end up similar to SVI's B4 protection option.
“In much the same way as a bullet-resistant vest protects vital organs of the human body, our new SVI LITE solution covers critical areas of the vehicle that are typically targeted during a hijacking attempt,” explains SVI Business Development Director Nicol Louw.
The SVI Lite armouring costs R54 950 (ex VAT) per closure for the Toyota Corolla Cross and R64 950 (ex VAT) for the Ford Ranger. This means that all four closures in a Toyota Corolla Cross will cost R219 800 (ex VAT). Installation takes only two weeks and will be available from May 2025. SVI will be adding SVI Lite options for the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner, and Ford Everest shortly, and they are looking to reduce the turnaround time to around 3 days in due course.
