- Land Rover Defender is latest recipient of “SVI LITE” armour
- Cost-effective partial armouring kit delivers B2 protection
- Lightweight package has virtually no impact on performance
- Defender retains standard operation of its side windows
SVI Engineering, leading specialist manufacturer of armoured products in South Africa, is pleased to announce the availability a new “SVI LITE” package for the popular Land Rover Defender, which becomes the latest model to benefit from this game-changing Level B2 partial-armouring solution.
Back in March 2025, the Bashewa-based company introduced the innovative SVI LITE product range, which slots in below SVI's renowned B4 discreet and B6 discreet 360-degree armouring packages but well above smash-and-grab window film. The SVI LITE treatment has since been extended to several models, from the Suzuki Jimny to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Now, SVI has developed a version specifically for the L663-generation Defender, a luxury SUV that is as at home in the bush as it is on the boulevard.
"The Land Rover Defender has become a symbol of exploration, taking families into some of the most spectacular corners of the continent. But whether you’re taking your family on safari or simply navigating urban traffic, our new SVI LITE package provides the necessary protection without compromising the vehicle's performance, handling or off-road abilities,” said SVI Business Development Director, Nicol Louw.
SVI LITE FOR LAND ROVER DEFENDER
As with the SVI LITE packages for other models, this anti-hijack solution for the Defender is focused on the side closures (i.e., doors and door windows), with the customer specifying how many doors are to be armoured. All chosen doors gain carefully shaped and fully concealed Kevlar panels, while the standard side-window glass is replaced with special lightweight armoured glass.
Together, these components deliver Level B2 protection and are thus rated to stop 9 mm, 124-grain rounds fired from a handgun. In total, the armouring components add less than 15 kg to each door, meaning vehicle performance – on- and off-road – is virtually unaffected.
Furthermore, the specialised ballistic glass used in the SVI LITE package allows for the standard operation of the side windows. As such, the driver enjoys completely unhampered access to parking-ticket machines, biometric readers and the like, while passengers are able to operate their windows, too.
The SVI LITE package can be applied to any of the three body styles in the British brand's Defender line-up: 90, 110 or 130. The Defender 110 shown in the accompanying photographs is equipped with protection for all four doors, while also boasting a Level B4 windscreen (specifically requested by the client), curved to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specification.
COST AND BUILD TIME
Compared with 360-degree B4 discreet armour, SVI LITE is a particularly cost-effective protection option, with the price per closure for the Land Rover Defender starting at R74,950 (excluding VAT). Options include the aforementioned Level B4 windscreen and a set of "Flats Over" runflat rings. Fitment at SVI’s facility outside Pretoria takes just two weeks, regardless of the number of closures specified.
THE COMPANY
SVI is an original equipment manufacturer that has specialised in armoured vehicles since 2004. The company is a market leader in Africa, serving the private, corporate, security, mining and governmental segments. SVI holds a Level 2 B-BBEE certification and its quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by TÜV Rheinland.
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