Signifying a first for Africa, SVI Engineering, with approval from BMW, is now offering the X3 with an armouring package. Here’s what you can expect, including how much it will cost you to convert your X3 into a bulletproof Beemer.
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Meeting the armouring requirements of ballistic-class NIJ Level IIA, the bulletproof package the local armoured-vehicle specialist has handed to the X3 is comparable to B4 armouring. This means the SVI-armoured BMW offers protection against rounds fired from 9 mm and .44 Magnum handguns.
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Said Dr Daniel Huber, BMW engineer for armoured vehicles, “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.”
The armouring package is available with the X3 M40i, which, as a reminder, is equipped with the German marque’s 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged six-cylinder. The petrol unit churns out 285 kW and 500 N.m of torque.
Related: Review: SVI B6 Armoured Ford Ranger Wildtrak
The armouring kit is priced at R879 800, which excludes VAT and, of course, the pricing of the donor car. As a reminder, as standard, the X3 M40i is priced from R1 509 901. The original maintenance plan (of five years of 100 000 km) and warranty, which spans two years or an unlimited number of kilometres, remain in place, while SVI adds a one-year/50 000 km warranty for peace of mind. The South African engineering firm says the conversion takes around three months.
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