LEADING specialist manufacturer of armoured products, SVI Engineering has deployed an armoured fleet of Hilux double-cab bakkies to help protect Toyota South Africa Motors’ vehicle-manufacturing plant in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Hilux is produced for the local and export markets along with the Fortuner, Corolla Cross, Corolla Quest and Hi-Ace Ses’fikile models at the company’s Prospecton facility south of Durban. The Hilux is a popular recipient of SVI’s semi-discreet B6 Stopgun V2.0 armouring kit.
Forming part of the local automaker’s proactive security risk management strategy, each vehicle in the fleet of armoured Hilux 2.4 GD-6 Raider double-cab bakkies is fitted with full ballistic protection against assault rifles, including the AK47, R1 and R5.
A key employer in KwaZulu-Natal and supporting numerous jobs upstream and downstream, the Prospecton plant – which suffered extensive flood damage in April 2022 – was forced to close for more than a week in July 2021 owing to civil unrest in the region. Although the factory was not damaged, the situation forced a halt in production, impacting both local customer deliveries and exports.
Business development director at SVI, Nicol Louw, says the armouring company is pleased to play a role in the protection of one of South Africa’s foremost automotive manufacturing facilities.
“Our B6 Stopgun V2.0 kit for the Hilux is already the preferred choice in South Africa’s broader security industry, where it saves lives virtually a weekly, and we’re immensely proud that SVI-armoured bakkies now form part of Toyota SA Motors’ security fleet, too,” says Louw.
The popular Stopgun V2.0 package provides a cost-effective B6 armouring solution to combat crime, escort valuables in transit or for use in mining patrols.
The semi-discreet kit is available for the single-, extended- and double-cab body styles. It takes around four weeks to prepare and three weeks to install, with the vehicle remaining fully serviceable at the agent.
Featuring unobtrusive integrated door armour, the Stopgun V2.0 option also includes uprated door hinges to cope with the additional mass of the various B6 components. Flat armoured glass is bolted into each window frame to allow for fuss-free replacement should damage be sustained.
In addition to the integrated door armour and ballistic glass, the roof, front fenders, all pillars and part of the firewall gain B6 bullet-resistant protection, as do critical under-bonnet components such as the battery and ABS unit. The curtain airbag (where fitted as standard) remains fully functional. Gunports are provided as standard but can be deleted upon request, while a front suspension upgrade is also included in the package.
