The Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, in collaboration with SVI Engineering, has launched Ford-approved armoured protection for its popular Ranger model.
The Ranger is among the best-selling vehicles in South Africa, and the introduction of armoured protection will help establish its position in an entirely new segment both for private and fleet customers, the company said.
It noted that there are more than 18,000 vehicle hijackings recorded annually in South Africa.
“We see armoured vehicle protection as a next step into a potentially life-saving sector. Ford is leading the way in customer experience by offering this without affecting the Ranger’s full warranty and service plan, which is a first for any OEM in South Africa,” said Neale Hill, managing director of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.
SVI Engineering said that it will offer two levels of Ford-approved armoured protection for the Ranger, across all models, powertrains and derivatives.
B4 Armoured Specification
B4 offers customers bullet-resistant protection against handguns up to a .44 Magnum.
This is a typical anti-hijack solution that also offers protection against brick-throwing and other hand-held projectiles.
The protection consists of 18-21mm armoured glass, along with kevlar sheets for the body. It is extremely discreet and, at only 280kg on the Ranger Double Cab, also lightweight with minimal impact on vehicle acceleration, fuel consumption and dynamic performance.
The build time of a B4 armoured Ranger is around eight weeks.
B6 Armoured Specification
B6 is the highest level of civilian protection allowed without a special permit and has been designed for the valuables-in-transit industry as well as high-profile individuals needing the ultimate level of protection.
This has been designed to protect against the ammunition fired by the R1 assault rifle and the AK47. This comprehensive protection comprises 38mm armoured glass and special armoured steel plates.
Due to the additional 650kg of armour, the Ranger’s suspension is upgraded accordingly.
With the B6 armour protection option, customers can choose between a discreet appearance, or the cost-effective non-discreet option, called Stopgun V2.0.
The discreet option features upgrades not easily identifiable on the vehicle, versus the more obvious protection on Stopgun option.
The discreet option takes 12 weeks to build, while the Stopgun security option can be installed in only two weeks.
By responding to customer feedback, the B4 option is available only in the discreet appearance form, which caters mainly for those individuals who want a level of armoured protection without compromising the interior and exterior aesthetics of their vehicle.
B4 and B6 armour protection covers the following areas:
Pricing excludes VAT and purchase price of the vehicle.
All new Ford Rangers come standard with Ford Protect, comprising a four-year/120,000km comprehensive warranty, three-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and five-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty.
A six-year/90,000km service plan is included which covers six services. The recommended service interval is 15,000km or annually, whichever occurs first.
In addition, customers receive a one year/50,000km warranty on the armouring components from SVI Engineering.
Additional Ford-approved armouring options for the Ranger include:
