With a five-star Euro NCAP rating, the new-generation BMW X3, which we sampled at the local launch in 2021, is plenty safe. However, what if you required some enhanced safety, the type that will stop bullets? Well, South African armoured-vehicle specialist SVI Engineering has the answer…
With the go-ahead from the German premium marque, SVI is now offering the X3 with an armouring package. Approved by BMW AG, it’s the first X3 on the African continent that is offered with bulletproofing. So, what can you expect from this armoured X3?
Well, for starters, the X3 that has been converted to a bullet-stopping Beemer comes in the shape of the X3 M40i model. As a reminder, this variant, which slots in below the high-performance X3 M Competition, is equipped with the Bavarian brand’s familiar 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder (the same, yet detuned unit found in the X3 M Competition). For the M40i, the inline-six is tuned to produce 285 kW and 500 N.m of torque, the former and latter of which are available from 5 800 r/min and 1 900 r/min, respectively.
But back to the bulletproofing of this Beemer. To what level has this BMW been armoured? Well, the SVI-converted X3 meets the requirements of ballistic-class NIJ Level IIA, which is comparable to B4 armouring. As such, the X3 M40i you see here provides protection against the fire from handguns. The latter includes rounds ranging from 9 mm handguns to those fired from .44 Magnums.
“This project represents the first time that BMW has performed an armouring certification on the African continent. The result is a vehicle that can withstand attacks up to .44 Magnum from different directions and angles,” said Dr Daniel Huber, BMW AG engineer for armoured vehicles.
So, how much can you expect to pay to convert your BMW X3 M40i to a bulletproof X3? Well, on top of the standard model’s R1 509 901 price tag, you will pay R879 800, which excludes VAT. In addition, as this conversion has been approved by BMW, the original maintenance plan (five years or 100 000 km) and warranty (two years or unlimited km) remain in tact. In addition, the armoured X3 M40i gains an additional one-year/50 000 km warranty from SVI.
