Armoured Mini Countryman is a local safety wonder

The myth that an armoured car needs be a behemoth has been debunked by Randburg, Gauteng-based armoured car builder Armormax. The company has bullet-proofed a Mini Countryman John Cooper Works for a customer.

The level B4 protection fitted to the car can withstand handguns up to a .44 Magnum, and all doors, panels, pillars and any other exposed area have been armoured with a lightweight ballistic composite providing an impenetrable barrier between occupants and would-be attackers.

Marketing manager Michael Broom says: “Our client is not new to armoured cars and has had many different cars from different manufacturers over the years. Being a car enthusiast, this client takes particular care to choose cars to suit different moods and requirements with only one prerequisite- we must be able to armour it.”

The added weight is just 170kg, says the company, with little noticeable effect on the 225kW and 450Nm performance or driving dynamics of the urban crossover. The cost of the package fitted to the Mini is R740,000 above the R918,644 sticker price tag. “This is the only armoured Mini in SA that we are aware of, and certainly the first we have built,” says Broom.

The company says it has a special arrangement with the BMW Group SA, merchants of the Mini brand, and any vehicle armoured by Armormax has its motorplan put into a suspensive state.

“The reason for this is that it is then possible for our dealer network to identify these vehicles and pay special attention to them. There will be an analysis on whether parts were damaged due to the vehicle modifications or through normal wear and tear, though this is entirely at the discretion of BMW SA,’ says Amormax.

“Should there be agreement that the parts that are due to be replaced fall into our normal wear and tear parameters, we will then honour the service and warranty work under the motorplan,” concludes Broom.