AK47-resistant VW Golf GTI could cost you R1.4m

Prominent manufacturer of armoured vehicles SVI Engineering has revealed its new AK47 Golf 8 GTI – a bullet-resistant rapid-response vehicle.

The armouring package for the Volkswagen costs R649,500 – excluding the price of the car of course. According to the German manufacturer, the current base price for the GTI is R804,000.

You can also have the package installed on the Golf R. Offering protection against handguns and rifles up to 7.62x39 mm – including the AK47 – the discreetly armoured SVI AK47 Golf 8 GTI is billed as the ideal urban rapid-response solution, pursuit vehicle or non-transporting emergency medical services (EMS) vehicle.

“Hot hatches are well suited to rapid-response duties but are generally available only with level B4 armour, leaving occupants vulnerable to higher ballistic threats,” said Nicol Louw, SVI business development director.

SVI has specialised in armoured vehicles since 2004. “The SVI AK47 Golf 8 GTI is our solution to that problem and may just be the fastest way to reach the scene of an in-progress crime, without compromising on ballistic protection.”

The VW hot hatchback comprises discreetly integrated, custom-fabricated B4+ body armour as well as special ballistic glass. Drawing on their experience developing vehicle armour for both the civilian market and the security industry, SVI’s team of engineers crafted a bespoke package for the Golf 8. This was achieved using 3.5 mm armoured steel plating and lightweight ballistic glass, the latter rated to stop four shots from an AK47 in a 300 mm square.

While all other panes are fixed in place, the driver’s window can be lowered approximately halfway.

To ensure the highest level of protection, SVI purposely excluded composites from the design, instead relying on high-grade armoured steel in areas such as the doors, pillars and even the roof. The kit furthermore incorporates a neat rear bulkhead solution – supplemented by a camera that continuously feeds video directly to the rear-view mirror – that saves on cost and weight and means the tailgate needn’t be armoured.

Critical powertrain components are protected by armour installed in the front fenders, while the battery also receives bullet-resistant protection and the suspension springs are uprated, fore and aft. In total, the armouring package adds approximately 340kg to the vehicle, a figure they claim has minimal impact on this powerful hot hatch’s acceleration and handling.

As a reminder, the Golf 8 GTI’s turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine offers the front wheels 180kW and 370Nm, while the all-wheel-drive Golf 8 R’s outputs stand at 235kW and 400Nm. The project build time comes in at approximately three months.