Following a highly successful partnership with Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa to offer OEM-approved armoured protection for the previous-generation bakkie, SVI Engineering has proudly revealed a pre-production prototype of a B4-armoured new Ranger.
Displayed on Ford’s stand at the 2023 NAMPO Harvest Day – the 55th presentation of one of the largest agricultural exhibitions in the Southern Hemisphere, this year taking place from 16 to 19 May just outside Bothaville in the Free State – the bullet-resistant prototype is based on the locally built, high-specification Ranger Double Cab Wildtrak 3.0L V6 4WD 10AT.
The B4 prototype boasts ballistic glass rated to stop handguns up to .44 Magnum, while the completed production version will furthermore employ lightweight Kevlar sheets entirely concealed within its body, providing occupants with 360-degree protection. Level B4 discreet represents the ideal anti-hijack solution and also delivers protection during brick-throwing incidents and against other hand-held projectiles.
Factory-backed Level B6 discreet armour – which protects against assault rifles, including AK47, R1 and R5, and is the highest level of civilian armour allowed without a special permit – will likewise be available for the new Ranger, along with a cost-effective semi-discreet B6 Stopgun V2.0 kit pitched at the security industry.
SVI is in the final stages of its meticulous development process for each of these three kits, with the first bullet-resistant new Rangers set to be available to order from 1 June 2023, directly from Ford dealerships all around South Africa. Customers will thus have the option of financing the complete package via Ford Credit.
An original equipment manufacturer specialising in armoured vehicles since 2004, SVI has successfully completed Ford’s rigorous Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) programme and is thus the only local armouring company recognised as a Ford-accredited vehicle converter. As a result of this QVM status, an SVI-armoured Ranger’s warranty and any service or maintenance plans purchased from Ford will remain fully intact.
Ford’s Bashewa-based armouring partner will offer OEM-approved protection across the entire new Ranger line-up, including all three body styles (Single Cab, Super Cab and Double Cab) and in conjunction with all powertrains. Pricing for B4 discreet armour on a Double Cab will start at R529 979 (excluding VAT), while specifying B6 discreet protection on the same body style will cost from R802 746 (excluding VAT). The security kits, meanwhile, will kick off from R273 419 (excluding VAT).
More details of the complete portfolio of new Ranger armouring packages – including full armouring specifications, additional Ford-approved armouring options and project build times – will be released at market launch. In addition, SVI will for the first time offer Ford-approved B4 and B6 discreet armouring packages for the new Everest, with the order books for the bullet-resistant SUV set to open at the start of July 2023.
SVI-Armoured Next-Gen Ford Ranger prototype unveiled at NAMPO 2023 https://t.co/eDDbzcb9kq#ArriveAlive #FordRanger @SVI_Engineering @Nampo_Oesdag @FordSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/3MlWnah1Xz
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) May 16, 2023