Armored Vehicles seem to be getting more prevalent in an era destabilized governments, whipped up by propaganda and paranoia. These vehicles have become a mainstay in the Oil Rich Middle East, and in war torn countries in Africa, Asia, and in parts of the former Soviet Union. They have also become a necessity for executives doing business in South America, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, they are also becoming popular within the US.
Companies who provide Armored Vehicles are somewhat responsible for fanning the flames of paranoia, which increases their profit margins by furnishing and ever increasing market. There are several companies that actively market their wares within the US and worldwide. Some of these company include the following:
– International Armoring Corporation (IAC), Odgen Utah
– High Protection Company (HPC), Sandy ,Utah
– Texas Armoring Corporation (TAC), San Antonio, Texas
– Armet Armored Vehicle Ltd, King City, Ontario Canada
So what are your feelings about Armor Upfitting, and the growing popularity of these vehicles? As a bonus, what would your thoughts be if you knew there were several of these things within your own community?
Image Credits: Armet Armored Vehicle Limited, Texas Armoring Corporation
Question of the Weekend – What are your thoughts about Armor Upfitting.
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All I know is that if I had one it'd sure be a Centurion Bronco C-350 with a 7.3 that is modded.
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I'm glad to live where I don't feel compelled to own an armored car. That's what I think.
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At least in the US, people who can spend the money on an armored car are exceedingly unlikely to ever venture into a place where they'd need it. However, in the last decade, it's clearly become possible to sell anything to people who have way more money and self-importance than intelligence or self-confidence.
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Agreed. People with too much money on their hands will always find silly/stupid things to spend it on. If anyone in my area owned an armoured SUV, I would openly laugh and point my finger at them and say rude things in their presence.
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There may be a correlation there with how many times people already openly laughed and pointed fingers at said individuals in the locker room at the gym. As Shrek so eloquently put it: Do ya think maybe he's compensating for something?
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Colin Chapman would not have approved.
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I think he would have,imagine how much lightness he could add.
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These armored cars are *much* lighter than their counterparts of decades ago. Instead of thick steel plate and 6" thick windows, makers can now use Kevlar and exotic materials. FDR's custom armored Lincoln weighed nearly 10,000 pounds, and that's without climate control, electronics, and all the communications gear that modern limos have.
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No real opinion on getting an armored car, but I would love to take a spin in one to see what kind of effect all that weight would have on handling and acceleration. And somehow I doubt there are any armored cars in my neighborhood. Not unless they are going for the stealth of an armored 1980s Bonneville.
That leads me to wonder how many factory-armored vehicles there were/are? Besides the BMW 7 and X5 security, and that Merc S-class, I can’t think of any others. -
T.E. Lawrence liked his Silver Ghosts:
<img src="http://www.rrab.com/cars00/sg101c.jpg" width="450">
"A Rolls in the desert was above rubies: and though we had been driving in these for eighteen months, not upon the polished roads of their maker' intention, but across country of the vilest, at speed, day or night, carrying a ton of goods and four or five men up, yet this was our first structural accident in the team of nine."
As far as the possibility of finding several of these new toys in my community: Meh. Most modern SUVs pretty much already are upfitted relative to what I drive, so why should I particularly care? I would like to see more armored Silver Ghosts in my neighborhood, but I remain pessimistic on that happening.-
I was about to declare this the best Roller ever, but then I realized they also make marine nuke plants:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Astute2cropped.jpg" width="500">
Kinda hard to argue with 150,000-ish horsepower. Even harder to argue with Tomahawk cruise missiles…
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I imagine that vehicles have been being armored since just after they started being pulled by horses. And there was certainly a good sized business armoring cars for Chicago gangsters during prohibition. German bankers and industrialists invested heavily in armored BMWs and Mercedes in the 1970s. A lot of limo converters use it as a lucrative sideline
Unless you have a documented occupational need for an armored car, your paranoia is best directed elsewhere. And even if you really need one, armoring usually reduces speed, maneuverability, and carrying capacity. If your assailants know you ride in an armored car, then they can arrive with more firepower; after all even tanks are only secure to a certain point, and ordnance is cheaper and more abundant than armor.
Society is far better served by being safe enough that armoring is unnecessary. A just society and moderately functional police and courts are far cheaper than the costs of arming and armoring everyone, with consequent loss of productivity and diversion of capital from productive purposes. Security details, armored columns, bunkers and castles are a very heavy cost of doing business, and suggest that the person needing protection probably won't live to enjoy their retirement.
If you do need or insist on an armored car, then you should select one that doesn't look like it's important or valuable, where the modifications aren't visible, and where performance has been increased to provide some escape and evasion capability. In Iraq a clean white SUV with tinted windows means there's a high value target inside. A clapped out Peugot taxi doesn't bear notice. And that Gurka F5 will draw both high caliber fire and the notice of leather bear daddies, and maybe Paris Hilton. -
There was a beige '80s Malibu wagon on Craigslist L.A. about 8 months ago that was armored. I was tempted.
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Where I live now, no I wouldn't get one and unless you count ex-military vehicles I doubt there are any in town.
Now, where I grew up; yeah, there were a couple times when something that could stop at least handgun rounds would have made me feel better. I know a couple people who still live there that have ballistic panels in the doors and laminated windows. Thanks to stuff like kevlar, ballistic fiberglass, and spectra the weight added is only equivalent to a fat passenger or two. -
Armor is nothing without a pop-out minigun.
[youtube CBpthlEx4Fw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBpthlEx4Fw youtube]-
Oooooo, I want one!
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I was about to post that.
The best defense is a good offense.
According to a Car and Driver article from a few years ago the mini-gun SUVs usually aren't armored at all. In places where something like this might be needed, they figured out the guards were less likely to stand and fight if they could stay safely buttoned up and run away. -
Strictly intended for hunting right?
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Varmint control.
Those ground squirrels are tricky little bastards.
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From talking with the guys in Afghan-land the up armoured Mercedes aren't that reliable. The frames broke under the additional weight and the drive train would crap out at awkward times.
In Canada and the States I can't see a big need for these vehicles (yet). The problem with operating one of these things is, if you are a target, is that the bad guys will just want to use a bigger can opener to pop you out. I forget where in the east it was but a group of abductors used a shaped charge disguised as a traffic sign to open up an armoured MB. The principal got away but his personal protection guys got clobbered (the bad guys hit the decoy vehicle). -
Do I need one? No.
Would I buy one? No.
Would I refuse a ride in one? No.
In all, 'meh'. Doesn't bother me; it's their money, they can spend it as they see fit. If they want to wear the tinfoil hat that's fine by me.-
i don't think tinfoil hats are an option. they are necessary. (right.. sarcasm?)
interesting side note– my wife (in her work as a public servant of literature in an "urban" area) has started to notice an increasing number of people who do wear tinfoil brain shields… but they disguise it inside of a ball cap or a "bucket" hat.. it only becomes noticeable by the occasional crunch noise.. or when they check their surroundings prior to removing it to scratch their head..
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I think that anyone who thinks they are truly protected inside of these without close, military backup is sorely mistaken. While these can be rated to take fairly heavy rounds the truth of the matter is that one punk with an AK and a couple of magazines can kill all of the passengers inside *most* of these vehicles pretty easily.
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I'd hope I never see one, because even if this is made with kevlar and crap, it's still going to be much heavier than a road car, and the added confidence it gives its driver will result in my flattening the moment he stops paying attention.
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I have absolutely no use for one, but I guess it's neat to see what they can do.
But I'm sort of surprised that Armet's based out of King City – to call that town sleepy makes it sound more exciting than it is. On the other hand, I sort of wonder if they're hiring. -
I'd like to enter one in the Derby.
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Can't I have some mecha-armor instead?
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I've said this before at (Redacted). As reported by everyone armoring is a big deal here. We even have armored econoboxes here. None of our cars are armored, but we know where to go and where not to (that would be NOT Rio de Janeiro). Never felt the need but if I was to buy one it would be used, since they depreciate like a mofo.
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I saw Manda Bala a couple of months ago and after half the film it just felt really strange, half stupid and and half fascinating. Life of Sao Paulo rich seemed truly dangerous at first but later it felt overly dramatic just for movies sake. Best character was guy with $400000 armored Porsche and nothing else, who's idea of good security was being chipped not 1 but 2 under skin tracing microchips by different security companies. But yeah, parts(!) of SP and RJ are not that nice places I suppose. Brazil is one of the fiew places where these cars can be useful. I've wanted to visit this beautiful country for years now but all those stories of robbing in the middle of the day, in the middle of beach in RJ, favela wars etc. have totally put me off of visiting, even if tourists are not targeted by kidnappers.
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I really think that when you're are scared of everything and everyone you attract those things to you. I've been to Rio a few times and never been, or even seen, in a robbery. I'm well aware it happens, just like it happens everywhere. My parents were robbed in London. And they usually focus on middle class cars here, cause they're easier to blend.
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I just noticed this but did anybody notice the front end of that Suburban? That was the facelift for GMT 800 trucks but it was never put on the GMT 800 SUVs.
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Yeah,I did notice that.It was put on GMT 800 SUVs made for Mexican market.Maybe Texas Armoring built that Suburban for Mexican client?
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I know many would complain about the compromises on the performances, but this is not actually true. Some manufacturers try to keep the original performance and comfort. If you buy cheap armor then it would weight more, thus making the vehicle suffer from the heavily added weight. To achieve that feat, you need to choose light weighted armor that is good against ballistic threats. Some manufacturers are good at this. A good example is Mezcal Security Vehicles. This is their website. http://www.mezcalarmor.com.
![http://www.rrab.com/cars00/sg101c.jpg"](http://www.rrab.com/cars00/sg101c.jpg"){kind=link}
![http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Astute2cropped.jpg"](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Astute2cropped.jpg"){kind=link}
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