All you need to know about making your car bulletproof

Bulletproof cars are becoming more appealing to South Africans who want to feel safer amidst the high number of armed hijackings in the country. You can now bulletproof your car by installing armour for windows, doors, and rear seats, which will cost anywhere between R200,000 and R1.5 million depending on the level of protection.

Highly specialised material is used to bulletproof a car. The glass for the bullet-proofing is imported from South America, the steel is manufactured in Sweden and the composite materials come from various other parts of the world.The bullet-resistant transparent armour glass contains multiple layers of leaded glass and sheets of polycarbonate, and is made by Panama-based firm, Optima Ballistic Glass.

• B4, which protects against handguns up to the .44 Magnum
• B6, which protects against high-powered rifles like the R5 and AK47

The equipment used for the modifications to bulletproof a car differs significantly based on the level of protection.

Expect to pay a minimum of R200,000, with more serious protection driving costs up to R1 million or more. An all-inclusive B4 protection upgrade is priced at around R580,000. B6 protection starts at around R1.5 million and includes armouring of windows, doors, pillars, floor, roof, and making vehicle structural modifications.

This is, however, only part of the expense.

The vehicle itself must be altered to cope with the weight of bulletproof glass and armour plating. Bulletproofing material can weigh up to a ton, and this additional weight on your car requires suspension upgrades, improved brakes, and structural modifications.

The most popular vehicles which are modified are double cab bakkies and luxury SUVs for corporate clients. After the vehicle is converted into an armoured car it still looks like a standard bakkie or SUV, but with additional protection.

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