- SVI partners with Stellantis SA
- Grand Cherokee gains B4+ armour
- Protection against ubiquitous AK47
- Manufacturer’s warranty intact
SVI Engineering, leading specialist manufacturer of armoured products in South Africa, has partnered with Stellantis South Africa to meet the evolving needs of local Jeep customers, creating a special discreetly armoured version of the Grand Cherokee five-seater SUV that boasts AK47 protection.
Customers can now specify a bullet-resistant Grand Cherokee, with all standard components retaining Jeep’s 5-year/100 000 km manufacturer warranty and the 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan likewise remaining in place. The B4+ armouring components, meanwhile, are separately covered by SVI’s 1-year/50 000 km warranty.
“As our global flagship model and the most technologically advanced, luxurious and 4×4-capable Grand Cherokee yet, the fifth-generation version of this celebrated SUV now stands apart for yet another reason: the local availability of expertly engineered ballistic protection,” said Jeep brand head, Janus Janse van Rensburg.
B4+ PROTECTION AGAINST AK47
SVI’s bespoke armouring package for the five-seater version of the Grand Cherokee offers B4+ protection, meaning it is rated to withstand attacks not only from handguns but also from the ubiquitous AK47 assault rifle. The ballistic package is completely concealed and therefore virtually imperceptible to the untrained eye.
Comprising custom-fabricated armoured steel plates, lightweight composite materials and special 32 mm ballistic glass curved to OEM specification, the Jeep-supported B4+ solution for the Grand Cherokee was meticulously developed by SVI’s team of highly experienced engineers.
“While standard B4 packages are relatively popular in South Africa as anti-hijack solutions, our collaboration with Jeep goes a step further, culminating in a bespoke B4+ package for the Grand Cherokee that offers protection against higher ballistic threats,” said Jaco de Kock, Chief Executive Officer of the SVI Group of Companies.
INTEGRATED ESCAPE HATCH
In addition to the concealed body armour (including inside the pillars) and imported ballistic glass, the Grand Cherokee conversion incorporates partial firewall protection and an armoured rear bulkhead – the latter complete with a neatly integrated escape hatch – behind the second row of seats.
In total, the various armouring materials add approximately 400 kg to the SUV’s total mass. That’s no match for the standard 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine, which sends generous peak outputs of 210 kW and 344 Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
In addition, the Grand Cherokee’s various driver-assistance safety systems – including those that rely on sensors mounted behind the windscreen – remain fully operational. The driver’s window, meanwhile, can be lowered approximately one third of the way down, allowing access to parking-ticket machines and biometric readers.
COST AND BUILD TIME
SVI’s Jeep-supported B4+ armouring solution for the Grand Cherokee five-seater is priced from R1,236,814* (excluding VAT). The Bashewa-based armouring specialist also offers a standard B4 discreet package for the Grand Cherokee – including the 7-seater “L” model – providing protection against handguns (up to .44 Magnum), with pricing starting at R833,684* (excluding VAT).
The list of options for each solution includes items such as roof armour, floor armour, a PA system and heavy-duty runflat rings for the tyres. The project build time is set at approximately three months in each case.
*figure excludes VAT and the purchase price of the base vehicle
