Armored Cars: Fortresses on Wheels with Amazing Features

With the prices becoming more affordable – reachable in many ways – and the features being enhanced, armored cars are now very popular across Canada. A lot of leading businessmen and high-ranking officials are using armored cars as everyday vehicle. Not only that, companies and businesses are using armored cars to transport valuable items. These armored cars have some of the most remarkable features you will find in an automobile.

armored car

Run-Flat Tires
One of the features I like the most from armored cars is the armored tires. A set of run-flat tires is used to make sure that the car is still operational even when one – or all four – tires are deflated. The tires are specifically designed with two and even three layers of rubber, each reinforced with metal and composite materials for added protection.

The exterior layer itself is stronger than common tires. Small nails and other common items will not be able to penetrate its surface and cause a flat tire. When the tires do get deflated, the second layer holds the shape and strength of the tire, allowing the car to continue for 60 more miles at the speed of up to 60 MPH.

Ballistic Armor
The core function of an armored car is to protect its passengers or cargo. This is why a specially designed, reinforced ballistic armor is used across the body of the car. Depending on the design of the car, the ballistic armor can be implemented partially or throughout the car.

What a ballistic armor does is prevent bullets and other hazardous materials from penetrating the skin and frame of the car. For added protection, a set of floor panels is also added to protect the car from explosive devices placed under the car.

The ballistic armor used to be so heavy that the car’s suspension needs to be specially reinforced. That is no longer the case thanks to composite materials such as carbon fiber and a mixture of carbon and titanium weave. A fully armored car can weight only 10% more of the original car thanks to these new technologies.

Bullet-Resistant Glass
Let me start this part by saying that there is no bullet-proof glass. The glass will eventually crack under heavy stress. What we do have is bullet-resistant glass, a special type of glass designed to be able to withstand gunshot or a certain velocity.

A bullet-resistant glass is made of layers, each designed to have its own function. More layers are added to make the glass stronger, which is why different bullet-resistant ratings means the glass will have different thickness. The toughest bullet-resistant glass can withstand heavy artilleries such as RPGs and high-caliber rounds.