DID YOU KNOW? Former Uruguayan president José Mujica shunned armoured vehicles and drove himself in a Volkswagen Beetle
Image by Alex PangThis is where those electric shocking door
handles come in. “We just want them to be able
to get out of a situation, to give them any time
they need,” stresses Kimball. Unlike the
armouring, he sees this sort of addition as an
accessory. “That type of thing is fun to talk
about, but it’s not the life-sav ing technolog y,”
he explains, adding that often clients request
things they’ve seen in Holly wood movies.
Other features that might just buy would-be
v ictims a few extra moments to escape danger
include a blinding smokescreen that can be
belched out of the back of the car if someone
fears they’re being followed, and a road tack
dispenser that drops spikes onto the road to
lacerate the t yres of pursuing vehicles.
Of course, there are more serious additions
too. Run-fl at t yres – which use either reinforced
t yre walls or hardened plastic inserts – can hold
out for about 80 kilometres (50 miles) after t yres
have been shot, and give a driver the chance to
put some solid distance between themselves
and their adversaries. A secure deadbolt
locking system overrides the automatic lock
release that usually happens when a car gets
hit – a feature that professional kidnappers
have previously been known to exploit.
Finally, internal parts like the fuel tank are
also armoured – but not for the reason you
might think. “A lot of times in the mov ies, they
shoot at your fuel tank and it automatically
explodes. That just doesn’t happen,” laughs
Kimball. Fuel won’t catch fi re in the absence of
a spark, but enough well placed shots could
cause a problematic leak and affect getaway
capabilities. Self-sealing foam ensures that this
doesn’t happen.
“Life is valuable. Protect it,” runs the TAC
slogan. While they may not yet be able to boast
invisibility-cloaking devices – like Mr Bond’s in
Die A nother Day – these fully loaded securit y
vehicles give ordinar y people priceless peace of
mind in areas where the threat of armed
violence is ever present.4
Suspension and braking upgrade
Since added armour can weigh anything from 500
to 750 kilograms (1,100 to 1,650 pounds), the vehicle
must be fi tted with stiffer suspension springs and more
heavy-duty shocks. Brake rotors and pads are replaced
with racing car parts, to allow faster stopping.5
Parts and accessories
The fuel tank, radiator, and computer modules are
fi tted with armour, run-fl at tyres are installed and if the
client requested operable windows, the motors for these
are installed, as well as any extras like a smokescreen
system, road tack dispensers, or shocking door handles.6
Interior re-install
Workers in the ‘trim shop’ reshape the original
interior to fi t the new dimensions and contours of the
armoured vehicle, endeavouring to match it as closely as
possible to the original, unless the client has requested
custom colours, fabrics or seating confi gurations.Hot-formed armour
31 pieces of steel armour
overlap to create a robust,
integrated protective skin.Window retention system
Specially built frames prevent glass
being sucked out or blown into the
vehicle during a side blast.Advanced materials
BSEC510 armour can endure
higher levels of blast without
cracking than traditional
ballistic steel.Wheels
Heavy-duty Toyota wheels are
subjected to extensive
cornering, radial fatigue and
impact tests.Deadbolt system
This allows occupants to
barricade themselves in the
secure vehicle.Armour hot-formed to the
body of the SUV reduces
points of weakness