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The armoured Grand Cherokee retains its full factory warranty. Picture: SUPPLIED
The armoured Grand Cherokee retains its full factory warranty. Picture: SUPPLIED

An armoured package for the Grand Cherokee SUV has been developed by Gauteng-based SVI Engineering.

The discreetly armoured vehicle boasts protection while retaining Jeep’s five-year/100,000 km manufacturer warranty and five-year/100,000km maintenance plan. The B4+ armouring components are separately covered by SVI’s one-year/50,000 km warranty.

The B4+ protection is rated to withstand attacks from handguns and assault rifles such as the AK47. The ballistic package is concealed and virtually imperceptible to the untrained eye. It comprises custom-fabricated armoured steel plates, lightweight composite materials and 32mm ballistic glass curved to OEM specifications.

The conversion incorporates partial firewall protection and an armoured rear bulkhead — the latter complete with an escape hatch behind the second row of seats.

The armouring materials add about 400kg. The vehicle retains its standard 3.6l Pentastar V6 engine with outputs of 210kW and 344Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Grand Cherokee’s various driver-assistance safety systems remain fully operational. The driver’s window can be lowered one third of the way down, allowing access to parking-ticket machines and biometric readers.

The B4+ package is priced from R1,236,814 excluding VAT and the base price of the vehicle. The Bashewa-based armouring specialist also offers a standard B4 discreet package for the Grand Cherokee — including the seven-seater “L” model, providing protection against handguns (up to .44 Magnum), with pricing starting at R833,684 (excluding VAT).

The build time in each case is about three months.

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