Skip to main content

Home > News > 7 Things Armored Vehicles Offer that Unarmored Do Not

7 Things Armored Vehicles Offer that Unarmored Do Not

May 19, 2021 4 Min read

With the number of security incidents like terrorism, kidnappings, and other violent attracts rising globally, the awareness and demand for armored cars have increased gradually. Traveling in armored cars not only saves lives but also paves the way for a safer future. This is because car armories (such as Armormax) prevent injuries that may result from attacks or car accidents. But unlike decades ago, vehicle armoring isn’t a preserve of the army. Increasingly, civilians are using these vehicles to safeguard their lives. 

Armormax Armored Vehicles Transport Service

The cost of purchasing an armored vehicle or armoring the one you already own varies. If you’re looking for an ultra-modern armored vehicle, you’ll need to spend a considerable amount of money due the expensive materials, custom parts, and specialized technical skills needed. However, there are affordable options that provide vehicle owners with basic safety features by protecting them from small road attacks or gunshots. Still, there are ways to armor vehicles without changing their appearance or style. In fact, armored vehicles aren’t easily noticeable, they look just like any other ordinary car. 

So, what features are available in armored vehicles that you won’t find in unarmored vehicles? Below are five of these things: 

1. Bulletproof Glass 

Armored vehicles aren’t fitted with ordinary glass-like unarmored vehicles. Instead, they’re fitted with bullet-resistant glass (which replaces the original glass) that offers superior protection to passengers against any assailants who might launch an attack or random street violence. The bulletproof glass comes in multiple layers that are made of flexible polycarbonate and brittle glass. 

shot armored ballistic glass

When a bullet strikes the brittle layer, it breaks towards the polycarbonate layer. In the process, it is the brittle glass that absorbs most of the bullet energy by spreading it over a larger surface area. In return, the polycarbonate layer helps to stop the bullet before it reaches the person inside the car. 

Unarmored vehicles are not fitted with bulletproof glass, an aspect that makes passengers prone to injury in case a bullet hits the vehicle. If you’re familiar with the different injuries that passengers suffer in accidents and their settlements, why not check here.

2. Strong Floor And Roof Materials

Unlike unarmored cars, armored cars are made using extremely strong materials to withstand bullets. Their floors and roof are made using ballistic proof material that keeps the vehicle from exploding and injuring passengers. 

In most cases, ballistic steel is used to build the body of armored vehicles because it is much stronger compared to other composite materials. The same material is used to build a casing for other parts of the vehicle including dashboards, engines, and seats. This ensures that the occupants of such vehicles are protected from any threats. 

The most important thing to note is that the design of armored vehicles is done in such a way that the safety features are hidden to offer discreet protection and their identity is retained. The robust materials used in their development cause their vehicles to increase significantly compared to unarmored vehicles.

3. Run Flat Tires

Most armored vehicles are fitted with unique flat tire inserts that enable them to escape tense environments without stopping. This makes it possible for the vehicle to keep moving for a long distance even when its tires have been attacked and have no pressure. Unarmored vehicles don’t have this feature. This means that if their wheels go flat due to a puncture or attack, the vehicle can’t move unless the tire was changed. 

2020 Bulletproof Lexus LX 570 Armormax Runflats Tire Insert

4. Gun Pots And Bomb Blankets

Another thing that armored vehicles have that isn’t available in unarmored vehicles is gun ports. Some armored vehicles that have bulletproof bodies and glass come with gun ports. These ports aren’t easy to notice but they come in handy for security guards whenever they need to fight attackers. Some armored vehicles are fitted with bomb blankets that absorb the impact of explosive devices like hand grenades or pipe bombs.

5. Armored Fuel Tank

Fuel tanks are used to carry the gas that a vehicle uses to move, but they can also pose a serious security risk that attackers might want to leverage. As such, armored vehicles come with well-secured fuel tanks to keep occupants safe. The fuel tanks are armored in a way that keeps them from catching fire if they’re targeted by attackers or in the event of a collision. Ordinary, unarmored vehicles aren’t fitted with this feature. 

6. Reliability

Reliability is the other thing that armored vehicles offer to users that ordinary vehicles don’t. This is seen in several elements that these vehicles come with. The first one is the material used to make them. Most armored vehicles that you see in the market are made from durable materials like heavy metals, special tires, unbreakable glass, and defensive plastics that make them extremely reliable. 

These materials enhance their ability to protect occupants from punchers, fire, gas attacks, explosions, and any other source of damage. To help with body hardness, armored vehicles also come with doubled suspension systems to manage the weight.  They’re fitted with extra fuel tanks to enable users to escape trouble. Also, most armored vehicles are fitted with sirens, public address systems, and plenty of space for occupants to carry valuables. All these features make armored vehicles more reliable. 

7. Non-Conspicuous Appearance

It’s extremely difficult to differentiate an armored car from an unarmored car by just looking at the design. This is because armored cars don’t come with conspicuous designs – nothing about them is designed to grab the attention of other road users. Rather, armored cars look like any other ordinary vehicles such that unless you tell people that yours is an armored car, they wouldn’t tell by simply looking at it. 

See a more detailed option list here.

Armored Suburban Armormax Utah Build

Final Thoughts 

Armored Better Than Unarmored Vehicles

Armored vehicles are designed to offer passengers more protection and safety than unarmored vehicles. As such, they come with additional security features that you’ll not find in unarmored vehicles. These include bulletproof bodies and glass, flat tire inserts, armored fuel tanks, and gun pots. In most instances, armored vehicle bodies are made using ballistic steel that makes it difficult for bullets to penetrate. These safety features make armored vehicles more costly than unarmored vehicles. 

Armored Car Company Armored Car Spotlight

Frequently Asked Questions

A tank is better equipped to handle heavy artillery, while an armored car is effective against smaller weapons.