Driving an exotic car tends to draw a lot of attention, both in a positive way from admirers and auto enthusiasts, as well as a decidedly negative way from individuals with nefarious intentions. Well aware of this unfortunate reality, the innovative team over at Quality Coachworks’ AddArmor division has recently opted to expand its range of armored vehicles to now include Aston Martin’s absolutely stunning Vantage supercar.
AddArmor’s take on the Aston aims to provide maximum protection for the vehicle’s occupants while mitigating the supercar’s performance as little as possible. This was achieved through bestowing the Vantage with a full suite of bulletproof windows and lightweight Kevlar armoring that together only add 450lbs to the model’s 3,461lbs curb weight while still achieving a B4 ballistic protection rating — meaning the armor can stop all 9mm, .38 Special, .357, and .44 Magnum rounds.
In addition to armoring the British supercar, AddArmor has also thoroughly considered just about every possible attack scenario a vehicle can face and has equipped the Aston Martin with defenses to protect the car from every threat imaginable. This includes reinforced doors, a special proprietary composite armored firewall, run-flat tires, a tamperproof exhaust, electrified door handles, and a fuel cell and a roof that are both armored with blast-resistant hardened steel. Lastly, with less than a quarter-ton added to the Vantage, the armored variant of the vehicle can still escape a threatening situation with incredible haste, with the 503-hp bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 presumably maintaining performance capabilities that aren’t that far off from the stock model’s 3.6-second 0-60mph time and 195mph top speed. Quality Coachworks also bestowed the Vantage with a revised suspension setup to accommodate the supercar’s added heft.
Available now, AddArmor’s anti-intrusion packages start from just $32,500, and go up from there depending on options. Combined with the MSRP of the latest Vantage, an armored version of the Aston Martin can be purchased for as little as $171,500.
