New VW Golf GTI gets bullet-resistant armouring

Johannesburg-based Armormax has created a bullet-resistant armouring package for the Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI.

It is the latest project by the luxury-vehicle armouring company and is said to be the world’s first armoured eighth-generation Golf GTI.

The high-performance German hatchback gets a B4 ballistic-level armoured specification that offers occupants protection against hand-thrown projectiles such as bricks and handgun calibres up to a .44 Magnum. This is sufficient to protect from hijackings with handguns, a smash-and-grab attempt, as well as from brick/rock throwing.

The package replaces all the glass with Optima ballistic glass that from the outside looks no different to a standard vehicle. All doors, panels, pillars, rear seats and hatch are armoured with lightweight synthetic armour.

The same ballistic protection is included in the roof and sunroof, the latter remaining operational just like the front windows. An intercom system finishes off the package.

“While it may seem misplaced to have a bulletproof hatchback in the offering, the demand for such a vehicle is quite high,” says Michael Broom, marketing manager for Armormax.

The company armoured a fleet of Golf 7s in 2018. Because it uses the lightest synthetic armour available, the conversion adds less than 180kg to the vehicle, meaning fuel economy and performance are not drastically affected.

“The B4 Golf was a daring project in 2018, but was met with immense interest and several orders were taken. There was never a question that we would develop the world’s first armouring package for the new model, knowing there would be a high demand. Its most popular application remains in the private-security sector as a chase, rapid-response and principal-extraction vehicle,” says Broom.

A Golf 8 GTI fitted with the package, which comes with a two-year warranty, is priced between R1.7m and R1.8m, depending on options fitted.