The use of armored cars is more common than many people might think. Armored cars are civilian vehicles with a reinforced structure. That structure is meant to protect the vehicle’s occupants from bullets, blasts, and assaults.
An armored car is usually made with bulletproof glass and layers of armor plating. There can also be a range of other defensive features.
A civilian army car isn’t the same as a military armored vehicle because it looks similar to the factory version of the vehicle.
The people who most often use armored vehicles include heads of state and politicians, business people, high net worth individuals, and sometimes, celebrities. Private military contractors and government law enforcement agencies may also use armored cars.
The following are some other things to know about these vehicles.
The Making of An Armored Car
Most armored cars for civilians are created by adding aftermarket upgrades to a standard protection vehicle. There are also a few car companies that make armored car models from the factory, including Audi Security Vehicles, BMW Security series, and the Mercedes Benz Guard vehicles.
There are also unique, one-off vehicles that don’t have any vehicle that’s equivalent to them, like the state car used by the President in the U.S.
That is a car similar in style to a Cadillac, but it’s built on a platform for a medium-duty truck.
The Benefits of Armored Cars
Depending on your needs and why you might want one, an armored car can come with benefits, including:
- Safety and protection are, of course, the main reasons someone might buy an armored car. Armored cars can keep the occupant safe across various situations, but they’re also comfortable, and they can be practical. Some people find that an armored vehicle is a good place for conducting meetings and transactions, and they can carry valuables without worrying.
- These vehicles are made not only for safety but also for reliability. They are built primarily with durable materials like heavy metals and unbreakable glass. The tires can often withstand fire, gas attacks, and other types of damage. The suspension system may be double what other vehicles of a similar weight have.
- The glass of an armored car is often stronger than the body itself of a regular vehicle. The glass is shatterproof, and even a bullet can’t break it.
- With modern armored car designs, it’s very difficult even to tell that it varies from a standard vehicle, so you can remain inconspicuous.
Also read: Car Trends You Should Consider Before Buying One
The Growing Demand for These Vehicles
In 2019, the Range Rover Sentinel debuted. The vehicle contains more than a ton of ballistic steel plate, and it also has armored glass inside the body. The armored Range Rover Sentinel can withstand a pipe bomb explosion from point-blank range, and the engine can make it through deep water and go up steep mountains. The vehicle weighs 10,000 pounds, which is double the weight of a standard Range Rover.
There’s a hatch that lets vehicle occupants escape through the back luggage compartment if the doors are no longer usable.
The Sentinel highlighted how much the market for these types of vehicles is growing worldwide. Consumers are increasingly willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for this high level of protection, so why is that?
Some experts say that many areas of the world are economically developing at a rapid pace, and defense spending correlates with that growth. Business happening overseas, particularly relating to UN peacekeeping and government contracts, has soared in recent years, and so has the demand for armored cars and other types of security.
Brazil has the highest per capita number of armored vehicles on the streets in the world. Just Sao Paolo alone receives 800 armored vehicles each month.
There is a lot of demand in Mexico and also in West African nations. For example, Nigeria has the largest economy on the continent, and it’s in a period of growth.
In the U.S., demand is similarly going up. For example, cities like Chicago are seeing surges in crime, and people who are professionals such as doctors and executives are worried enough that they’re purchasing these vehicles.
People want a feeling of peace of mind when they drive around, including against possible random acts of violence.
Many of the statistics we have currently available regarding the demand for armored vehicles come from a time before the pandemic. Now, there’s even more uncertainty and instability, so this demand is likely to continue increasing.
