• SVI LITE product range steadily expands every month
  • B2 partial armour now available for several models
  • Cost-effective partial protection proves popular in SA


SVI Engineering, leading specialist manufacturer of armoured products in South Africa, continues to expand the portfolio of vehicles available with its groundbreaking “SVI LITE” partial-armouring solution, now offering this cost-effective Level B2 kit on everything from the Jimny to the G-Class.

Launched in March 2025, the SVI LITE partial ballistic-protection solution was developed specifically to combat hijacking threats in South Africa. SVI LITE slots in below the company’s renowned 360-degree B4 discreet and B6 discreet armouring packages (but well above common smash-and-grab window film), making it far more accessible to the general public.

“Since the arrival of SVI LITE almost a year ago, we’ve fielded countless enquiries about fitting this game-changing solution to all manner of vehicles. Though we launched with kits for two of South Africa’s most popular models, development work has continued in the background, allowing us to steadily expand the portfolio to meet the growing needs of the local market,” said SVI Business Development Director, Nicol Louw.

VEHICLES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE WITH SVI LITE

SVI LITE was initially developed for the Toyota Corolla Cross and Ford Ranger, two of the country’s best-selling passenger and light-commercial vehicles, respectively. However, the Bashewa-based armouring company has now grown its SVI LITE portfolio to include several other mainstream nameplates.

For instance, SVI has since fitted its Level B2 partial-armouring package to the Toyota Hilux – which remains South Africa’s most popular vehicle overall – while also extending the solution to the standard Ranger double cab (since the high-performance Raptor derivative was used at launch).

Toyota’s large ladder-frame SUVs have also proved popular, with B2-armoured examples of the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Toyota Land Cruiser 300 having already been delivered. In addition, SVI is currently working on a kit for the Prado’s V6-powered luxury twin, the Lexus GX, as well as one for the unibody Land Rover Defender 110.

Even the diminutive Suzuki Jimny has visited the SVI LITE production line, as has the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a model positioned at the opposite end of the boxy body-on-frame SUV spectrum (both in terms of size and purchase price). SVI has furthermore fitted its B2 solution to various high-end models in the Volkswagen Group family, such as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne Coupé.

Currently, SVI LITE is available for:

COST-EFFECTIVE PARTIAL PROTECTION

While SVI’s renowned B4 and B6 discreet armouring solutions provide full 360-degree protection to occupants, SVI LITE is limited to the vehicle’s side closure (i.e., the door and accompanying door window). The customer specifies how many doors are to be armoured.

In each case, the vehicle door gains carefully shaped and fully concealed Kevlar panels, while the standard side-window glass is replaced with special lightweight armoured glass. Together, these components deliver B2 protection and are thus rated to stop 9 mm, 124-grain rounds fired from a handgun.

The armouring components add just 15 kg to each door, meaning vehicle performance is virtually unaffected. Furthermore, the ballistic glass is light enough to allow for the standard operation of the side windows in most vehicles, resulting in unhindered access to parking-ticket machines, biometric readers and the like.

COST AND BUILD TIME

The price per closure for the SVI LITE solution starts at R64,950 (excluding VAT), though varies according to the size of the vehicle. Regardless of the number of closures specified, fitment at SVI’s world-class facility outside Pretoria takes just two weeks.

Thanks to SVI’s approval under the Ford Pro Convertor programme (previously known as the Qualified Vehicle Modifiers initiative), fitment of the SVI LITE package to the Ranger and Everest has no impact on the original manufacturer warranty or any selected service or maintenance plans.

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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