JOHANNESBURG - The Mercedes G-Class is known for being a tough and virtually indestructible off-road vehicle, but like any standard road car, it won’t protect you from bullets or hand grenades.

Do you think someone’s put a hit out on you? Then you need the new Brabus G-Class Invicto, which is now available in South Africa in three versions: Pure, Luxury and Mission.

But as with any armoured vehicle, the Invicto models come at a price.

The local distributor SVI Engineering estimates a base price of R5.4 million for the Pure and Luxury models, and R6.2m for the Mission, but these numbers could change with fluctuations in the exchange rate. Those prices also exclude the base vehicle, which starts at nearly R3 million in South Africa.

Shelter Cell

The Brabus G-Class Invicto models are fitted with a so-called “Shelter Cell” that’s said to provide protection from small firearms and explosives.

The Brabus Shelter Cell is a self-contained, self-supporting and bolted-down protective cell, and of course bulletproof glass is also part of the deal here in addition to various other protective elements.

According to Brabus, tests showed that the vehicle was able to withstand 7.63 x 39 caliber rounds, which are usually found in AK-47s, as well as hand grenades.

Heavier, but you can make it faster

Keep in mind that the armour does add a tonne to the vehicle’s kerb weight, however if you’re choosing the G63 AMG model then you can also opt for a Brabus performance conversion, which raises the V8 engine’s outputs to 588kW and 1000Nm, up from 430kW and 850Nm.

Brabus has also upgraded the vehicle’s chassis and braking systems to cope with the added weight.

But what is the difference between the three versions?

INVICTO PURE

This is for those wanting to operate in stealth mode, so the exterior bodywork is left unaltered, apart from 20-inch Invicto wheels with runflat tyres.

INVICTO LUXURY

Adds an element of exclusivity with a Brabus Widestar wide-body kit and buyers can take things even further with naked-carbon components, while the Alcantara and leather laden cabin can be personalised to the customer’s preference.

INVICTO MISSION

This is the GI Joe of the range, and is tailor-made for armed forces, police, security companies and emergency services.

The Mission can be customised according to the client’s requirements, and available features include a winch, remote-controlled rotating searchlights, an escape hatch and a robust roof rack. Inside you’ll find four custom bucket seats that allow emergency teams to wear their protective vests in the vehicle.

IOL Motoring