South African armouring-vehicle specialist SVI Engineering is well known for its armouring packages. There are several, with a variety of these available for vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser 300, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, and Nissan Navara. In addition, recently, the SA-based company whipped the wraps off a (first-for-the-African-continent) bulletproof package for the BMW X3. However, now, the folks over at SVI has developed a brand-new armouring package, specially designed for the Golf GTI.
“Hot hatches are well suited to rapid-response duties but are generally available only with level B4 armour, leaving occupants vulnerable to higher ballistic threats,” said Nicol Louw, SVI Business Development Director. “The SVI AK47 Golf 8 GTI is our solution to that problem, and may just be the fastest way to reach the scene of an in-progress crime, without compromising on ballistic protection.”
Louw added: “In South Africa, it’s become patently clear that the ’round-the-clock fight against crime needs fresh solutions. The SVI AK47 Golf 8 GTI is exactly that, and equips rapid responders – in the private security sector and beyond – with both the required speed and the required protection.”
So, what does the package include and, most notably, against what does it provide protection? Starting with the former, the kit features 3.5 mm armoured steel plating and lightweight ballistic glass. The high-grade armoured steel, used instead of composite materials to “ensure the highest level of protection”, has been applied to areas such as the pillars, doors and roof of the car. Speaking of protection, the kit is capable of stopping rounds fired from handguns and, more significantly, AK47s. The latter, SVI says, is the key objective of the package.
As a reminder, the eighth-generation Golf GTI employs the Wolfsburg-based brand’s EA888 engine, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit equipped with breathing apparatus. The turbocharged unit produces 180 kW and 370 N.m of torque for a claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.4 seconds.
However, how does the fitment of the (340 kg) bulletproof kit impact the front-wheel-drive hot hatch’s performance? Well, according to SVI, the impact on the latter and handling is minimal.
So, how much will it cost to convert your Golf GTI (and, indeed, Golf R) with this kit? Well, on top of the price of the donor car, the package will set you back R649 500, which excludes VAT. The conversion takes approximately three months.