An armored car (US English) or armoured car (British English) is one of several types of wheeled armored vehicles: a civilian bullet-proof passenger car, a military wheeled armored vehicle, or a special-purpose armored cargo vehicle for transporting valuables.

Military armored cars

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At the beginning of the twentieth century a number of military armored vehicles were manufactured by adding armor and weapons to existing vehicles: armored tractors, armored cars, and armored trains are known. Most of the early designs were a large car chassis to which a body made of steel plates had been added. A spectacularly impractical early armored ‘car’ was the Russian Tsar Tank of 1915, a sort of tricycle with nine-meter wheels.

Armored cars are popular for peacekeeping or internal security duties. Their appearance is less confrontational and threatening than tanks, and their size and maneuverability is more compatible with tight urban spaces designed for wheeled vehicles.

See also List of armored cars.

Civilian armored cars

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Most civilian armored cars are modified versions of normal cars, made by replacing the windows with bulletproof glass and inserting layers of armor under the outer skin of the car, a labor-intensive process that takes a few weeks and costs about $100,000 in the U.S. The makers usually leave the external appearance of the car unchanged, in order to not look conspicuous. In most cases Dyneema®, aramid, composites and ballistic steel plates are used, and the increased mass is offset by a souped-up engine and brakes, as composite armor is considerably more expensive. Besides the armor itself, many other protective modifications are available: fire extinguisher, run-flat tires, an explosion-resistant fuel tank, remote starting of the car, pressure and temperature control of the tires, a siren or alarm, and an intercom between the exterior and interior of the car. Sometimes the inside can be sealed or overpressured, using its own air supply, to protect against gas attacks.

Armored cars are in common use by people who feel at risk and can afford them, for example politicians, entrepreneurs, ambassadors, or in higher-risk areas including Colombia, Iraq, Moscow, and Washington DC. They are very popular in Mexico City due to the level of violence there. Diplomatic missions typically use armored cars as standard vehicles. As a side benefit, armored cars are typically very safe in a car accident.

The other type of civilian armored car is really an armored truck, used in transporting valuables, such as large quantities of money, which are equipped to resist attempts at highway robbery or the hijacking of the cargo. They may be manned with armed guards but do not mount weapons. These armoured cars are usually operated by security firms, which provide secure transport for clients' property.

See also

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• Tankette
• Vehicle armour
• Bulletproof glass

External links

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• Armored Cars, Cash in Transit Vehicles, Personal protection, European vendor
• Armored Vehicles & Armored Cars, US
• Custom Armored Vehicles & Bulletproof Cars, US
• Armored vehicles & Cars, European vendor
• Armored Car Service, Cash in Transit, ATM Replenishment, US vendor (Midwest)
• Armored Car Service, Cash in Transit, ATM Replenishment, US vendor (Western)
• Armored Car Service, Cash in Transit, ATM Replenishment, Canada vendor
• Armoured Vehicle & Armoured Car, Australia

Armored cars | Armored fighting vehicles by type

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