Toyota Land Cruiser Prado's latest armour a discreet suit
The work of local firm Armormax can be had in standard B4 and higher protection B6 variants.
From the outside, the Armormax Prado doesn't look different from the standard TX grade it is based on. Picture: Mark Jones
It seems to be a year of armoured vehicles for us. Just a few weeks ago we were exposed to a Toyota Corolla Cross and a Ford Ranger that has been given a light armoured workover to help in preventing hi-jackings.
A week ago, we reported on a Toyota Fortuner that had been shot to pieces in what looked like an attempted hit, but the occupants got way completely unharmed thanks to vehicle armouring.
Now, we get to bring you the low down on what it was like living with Armormax's Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for a few days.
Prado en-guard
Having already applied the armoured touches to the Land Cruiser 300, of which more than 30 have already been delivered to customers, it makes perfect sense that they would put their effort into the Land Cruiser Prado you see here.
And when I say see here, the one thing you are not going to notice from the outside or the inside is that this Land Cruiser Prado has been fully armoured to B4 level, which means you have protection against handguns.
ALSO READ: Toughened-up new Prado gives protection against AK47 bullets
If you think you are going to get into a proper shoot-out then you are going to need B6 level protection from rifles.
What you will feel obviously is the extra weight in the doors when you open and close them, and when you put the windows down, you will see the 21 mm thick bullet resistant glass. But that's it. It's not like you will see armour sticking out from the panels and surface areas in the vehicle.
As with the front, the rear and side profiles haven't undergone any visible changes from the normal Prado TX. Picture: Mark Jones
You also don't really feel the extra weight of all the armour when you are driving around either, mostly because the Land Cruiser Prado is already a heavy vehicle to start with, and you are not expecting it to behave like a hot hatch.
This particular Armormax Land Cruiser Prado has done just over 20 000 km already, and nothing rattles and squeaks, which is testament to the vehicle as much as it is Armormax's quality of workmanship.
Level B4 Protection
If your security risk is from day-to-day crime encountered on our roads, like being followed home from the shops and being hijacked and robbed, then level B4 protection is a good choice.
Interior hasn't changed, although the type of glass used does from the normal Prado. Picture: Mark Jones
Most violent crimes like hijacking are committed with handguns, as they are easy for the perpetrators to conceal. Level B4 conversions only add around 180 kg of extra weight for the average SUV. This has very little effect on the driving characteristics of the vehicle. Equally
many of the vehicle's standard features are unaffected, meaning you are almost not even aware of the armouring.
Level B6 Protection
There are levels of risk that necessitate a higher level of protection. Level B6 conversions are ideally suited for threats from the calibres fired from assault rifles commonly found around the world.
Rolling down the windows provides the biggest hint of the Armormax not being a conventional Prado. Picture: Mark Jones
A B6 build is a complex conversion and takes a minimum of 10 weeks to complete. Given the added weight and increase in asset value of a B6 conversion, it is best suited to large SUV's and pick-ups.
From a pure security aspect, the recommendation is to choose one of these over a sedan, and this is due to the higher seating position of the occupants, which results in a tactical advantage.
Pricing
There is a massive amount of misinformation about armoured cars out there, not just in how they are built but also who buys them.
The notion that it's only gangsters and politicians that use armoured cars is not all that true anymore, there is an ever-increasing demand from private individuals and families just looking to protect themselves from violent crime.
Pricing comes in at R763 000 excluding VAT for complete level B4 armouring (handguns), which includes all the windows, windscreen, door panels, roof, tailgate, rear seats, run flat bands for the tyres and a push to talk comms system for communicating with people outside the vehicle.
Pricing for full level B6 armouring (rifles) comes in at R1 554 000 excluding VAT, with the cost of an upgraded suspension kit also for your own account.
Armormax can source you a vehicle or you can have your existing vehicle armoured. The build time is anything from four to seven weeks depending on the model.
I must be honest, driving around in the Armormax Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as nobody important still made me feel almost invincible.
I know nothing or nobody is invincible, but it was so nice to pull up to a traffic light and not have to be constantly scanning your surroundings in the hope you are not hi-jacked and shot dead for a car.
To find out more, contact Michael Broom at michael@armormax.co.za or call him on 084 325 2744 or 011 462 6079. You can also visit their website at www.armormax.co.za.
NOW READ: Corolla Cross gets tough enough to withstand handgun attack
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