• SVI Engineering awarded distributor rights in South Africa and into Africa.
• Pure, Luxury, Mission – three accessory lines for various purposes.
• Fully certified armoured vehicle Invicto with innovative Shelter Cell technology and side blast protection.
• Brabus G63 performance upgrade available to 588kW and 1000Nm.
Rich Instagram influencers and important people who might need an armoured Mercedes-Benz G-Class, this one's for you.
SVI Engineering, a vehicle armouring company, is the official distributor of Brabus Automotive armoured products in Africa, starting with the Invicto range.
That's the good news. The bad news is prices start from R5.4-million. Well, that figure probably might not make the ultra-rich scoff.
Here's what the Invicto range is all about:
Brabus Automotive Invicto
This series off vehicles represents a high-end armoured version of the latest Mercedes-Benz G-Class and is produced by Brabus Automotive located in Bottrop Germany. The so-called Shelter Cell meets OEM factory armouring standards and make use of hot-formed armouring steel plates and innovative 3D-printed parts.
The ballistic protection level is VR6 (stopping AK47), however it is extended by a side blast protection at the level of a luxury state limousine.
And finally, the INVICTO VR6 Plus explosion resistant vehicle (ERV) is currently being developed.
The customer can select between three different and exciting lines Pure, Luxury and Mission:
Pure
This model is just "pure protection", its builders say. With the Invicto Shelter Cell and all its guarding components, it offers maximum protection at VR6 Plus ERV level. At the same time, however, the exterior and interior remains as close to series production as possible. Therefore, the Pure is "undercover" in more than one sense.
If you had the means, would you buy an armoured Brabus G-Glass? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.
Luxury- safety and style
Safety at the highest level of comfort and individualisation – that's the Luxury. Tailor-made and handcrafted interior in finest leather or Alcantara as well as exterior components and performance upgrades from the Brabus accessory program. The Luxury – almost invisibly – combines maximum security at level VR6 plus ERV and with a stylish, luxurious interior.
Mission – special forces ready
It has interior and the exterior features, like protection vest compatible integral seats with variable foam geometry, "Molle"-system door panels and seat backs, a roof rail system, a digital rear display mirror, the Acetech system with two touch control panels, an intercom system and 20-inch rough profile off road tyres the Mission is especially made for special forces. Of course, the Mission doesn’t only provide reliable protection at VR6 plus ERV level.
Myriad of options
For an individual configuration of their Invicto customers can select for the three different lines various options from the accessory program, for example a lightning and signal systems, auxiliary roof lights, a fire extinguishing system, an infrared package including a night vision device, a fresh air system with filter or an escape hatch, just to mention a few.
Safety cell
The highest technical standards were also paramount for Brabus Automotive when it came to developing the new armoured vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Right from the very start, the overall ballistic concept was designed for a maximum protective effect corresponding to the level of OEM factory armour plating.
Unlike with other retroactively armour plated vehicles, the components of the protection system were not individually welded into the vehicle's bodywork structure. Rather, the engineers at Brabus Automotive developed a self-contained, self-supporting, bolted structural cell, the so-called Invicto Shelter Cell.
It is inserted into the body shell in a disassembled state and then constructed. One of the structural features of the shelter cell is the zero-joints design. The armour components are mounted to the shelter cell without any gaps. Unavoidable weld seams, on the doors for example, are achieved with material overlapping and so-called labyrinths.
The shelter cell is validated using the latest processes and methods, which are also being used at the OEM. The development team at Brabus Automotive combined virtual simulation procedures with real tests on test samples. It was only once the individual elements of the shelter cell proved their protective effect that the entire cell was tested in the vehicle.
Every single material pairing, and screw connection was tested by being shot at from several angles and at projectile speeds which are well beyond the standard speed of the calibre being protected against. Furthermore, individual assemblies were also subjected to several explosions in preliminary tests in a so-called blast frame.
Brabus Automotive is taking its own time-consuming path here, too, as the effect of special protective measures is not usually specifically tested for retrofitted vehicles, the company says.
The side blast protection (ERV) is at the level of a luxury state limousine.
G-Class uprated
The added weight of the overall vehicle due to the armour plating is comparatively low at around 1000 kilograms, but the load-bearing capacity of the chassis must be modified to meet the high requirements of Brabus Automotive when it comes to driving dynamics and life span.
Brabus says the necessary adjustments cover the entire front and rear axle construction of the vehicle. The entire wheel suspension, for example, has been replaced by own new development, while frame reinforcements around the longitudinal beams and the spring dome increase the strength of the original vehicle structure.
588kW and 1000Nm
Maximum performance for the G63 can be increased by opting for the BRABUS B40S-800 performance kit.
The performance increase is completed with the BRABUS PowerXtra control module for the engine control unit. In addition to a bump in peak torque from 850Nm to 1000Nm, the rated output jumps by 158kW from 430kW to 588kW.
Pricing and warranty
Pure from R5.4-million Luxury from R 5.4-million Mission from R6.2-million. Pricing excludes base vehicle, shipping, taxes and the rand value is an estimate.
Brabus Automotive offers a two-year or 100 000km warranty on its products based on the conversion of a new Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Compiled by Sean Parker