Armoured Mercedes Sprinter
The large cabin can be planned as a protected VIP van, executive mobile office or private passenger vehicle within Ertex's approved armoured vehicle production approach.
Ertex Armoured Vehicles
Armoured Vehicles: VIP Armoured Sprinter, Cadillac Escalade and G-Class
Bespoke armoured luxury vehicles developed around the protection objective, platform, payload and destination-market approvals.
Since 1989 · Made in Ankara · Showrooms in Ankara, Istanbul, Düsseldorf and Dubai
Bespoke armoured mobility
Security and VIP comfort are designed as one vehicle.
Ertex develops armoured VIP vehicle projects, around the client's risk assessment, intended use, passenger expectations and chosen platform. The protection package, cabin architecture, payload, visibility, access, climate and service requirements are coordinated from the beginning instead of being treated as separate additions.
Armoured vehicles explained
What is an armoured vehicle?
An armoured vehicle is a vehicle whose passenger compartment is reinforced to provide ballistic protection. It is also searched for as a bulletproof vehicle; however, no level of protection can guarantee safety against every threat. Protection is not limited to glass and doors: the roof, floor, pillars and joints are considered together. Ertex designs this protection not as a later addition but as a single project with the VIP cabin. The protection level is determined with the client according to the risk assessment, platform and intended use.
Project-specific engineering
The required protection level is only the starting point.
Ertex armoured vehicle products have completed the required testing and homologation processes. Platform, protection level, payload and the VIP cabin are developed together within this approved engineering and manufacturing approach.
01
Requirement definition
Use scenario, protection objective, platform, passenger layout and destination market are documented.
02
Armoured capsule
Opaque armour, glazing, overlaps, floor, roof and access zones are engineered as a coordinated system.
03
VIP integration
Seating, partition, controls, climate, lighting and materials are developed around the protection package.
04
Approved production
The Ertex production standard, supported by completed testing and homologation, is applied throughout the project.
Armoured capsule engineering
Protection is designed around the complete body.
The passenger cell is evaluated as a continuous protection system. Doors, pillars, glazing, roof, floor, rear section and transition overlaps are coordinated while vehicle balance, access and serviceability remain part of the engineering brief.
Bespoke VIP cabin
A protected space should still feel personal.
Seat geometry, upholstery, work surfaces, passenger controls, lighting and storage are tailored to the owner. Protection-related packaging is integrated discreetly so the cabin preserves the calm, finish and functionality expected from an Ertex interior.
Critical interfaces
Edges and openings are resolved as engineered details.
Door apertures, glazing surrounds, hinges, latches and body transitions are assessed together. Material selection and installation details depend on the approved protection target, the vehicle structure and the applicable test configuration.
Protection class reference
VPAM and EN class overview.
This overview presents a general comparison between VPAM protection classes and EN 1063 / EN 1522-23 references. Projectile construction, mass, velocity, impact angle, number and spacing of impacts, armour type and the applicable edition of each standard determine the actual classification.
| VPAM class | EN 1063 / EN 1522-23 | Weapon type | Projectile profile | Calibre | Qualification | Mass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPAM 1 | B1 | Small-calibre rifle | Lead / round nose | .22 LR | L/RN | 2.6 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 2 | - | Handgun | Full metal jacket / round nose | 9 mm Luger | FMJ/RN/SC · Tinned | 8.0 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 3 | B2 | Submachine gun | Full metal jacket / round nose | 9 mm Luger | FMJ/RN/SC · Tinned | 8.0 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 4 | B3 | Revolver | Full metal jacket / conical bullet | .357 Magnum | FMJ/CB/SC | 10.2 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 4 | B4 | Revolver | Full metal jacket / flat nose | .44 Remington Magnum | FMJ*/FN/SC | 15.6 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 5 | - | Revolver | Metal jacket / conical bullet | .357 Magnum | FMs/CB | 7.1 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 6 | - | Assault rifle | Full metal jacket / pointed bullet | 7.62 × 39 mm | FMJ/PB/FeC | 8.0 ± 0.1 gCore: 3.6 g |
| VPAM 7 | B5 | Rifle | Full metal jacket / pointed bullet | .223 Remington (5.56 × 45) | FMJ/PB/SCP | 4.0 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 7 | B6 | Rifle | Full metal jacket / hard core | .308 Winchester (7.62 × 51) | FMJ/PB/HCI | 9.55 ± 0.1 g |
| VPAM 8 | - | Assault rifle | Full metal jacket / hard core | 7.62 × 39 mm | FMJ/PB/HCI | 7.7 ± 0.1 gCore: 4.1 g · Hardness: 65 |
| VPAM 9 | B7 | Rifle | Full metal jacket / hard core | .308 Winchester (7.62 × 51) | FMJ/PB/HC | 9.45 ± 0.1 gCore: 4.6 g · Hardness: 60 |
| VPAM 10 | - | Rifle | Full metal jacket / hard core | 7.62 × 54 R | FMJ/PB/HCI | 10.4 ± 0.1 gCore: 5.3 g · Hardness: 63 |
| VPAM 11 | - | Rifle | Full metal jacket / tungsten-carbide core | .308 Winchester (7.62 × 51) | FMJ/PB/WC | 8.4 ± 0.1 gCore: 5.9 g |
| VPAM 12 | - | Rifle | Full metal jacket / tungsten-carbide core | .308 Winchester (7.62 × 51) | FMJ/PB/WC | 12.7 ± 0.1 gCore: 5.58 g · Hardness: 1330 HV 10 |
| VPAM 13 | - | Heavy rifle / machine gun | Full metal jacket / hard core | .50 Browning | FMJ/PB/HC | 43.0 ± 0.5 gCore: 35.0 g · Hardness: 55 ± 2 |
| VPAM 14 | - | Heavy machine gun | Full metal jacket / hard core | 14.5 × 114 mm | FMJ/PB/HCI | 63.4 ± 0.5 g |
The ammunition abbreviations are reproduced as technical reference codes. Not every class is feasible or approvable on every vehicle platform. The project class is confirmed after risk analysis, platform and payload assessment, applicable law, accredited testing or certification requirements and destination-market approvals. This page does not constitute a certification or performance claim for a specific vehicle.
Integrated passenger environment
Every system is planned around the protected volume.
Partitions, displays, communications, climate, sound and comfort equipment are coordinated with structure and glazing. Installation routes and service access are considered before the interior is completed.
Testing and homologation
An approved engineering approach.
Ertex armoured vehicle products have successfully completed the required testing and homologation processes. Vehicle configuration, protection objective, inspection points and the VIP cabin are designed and produced together within this approach.
Define your VIP armoured vehicle project with Ertex.
Send a Request →Frequently asked questions
VIP armoured vehicle questions, answered.
Clear answers about armoured Mercedes Sprinter projects, protection terminology, technical systems and the testing and homologation processes completed by Ertex.
What is a VIP armoured vehicle?
A VIP armoured vehicle combines a project-specific ballistic protection package with a private passenger cabin. Structure, transparent armour, seating, climate, electronics, access and payload are planned together for the selected platform and destination market.
Do armoured vehicle mean the same thing?
Yes. Armoured is the British spelling and armoured is the American spelling. Ertex uses both terms so international clients can find the same project-specific VIP protection service.
Can a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter be developed as an armoured VIP van?
A suitable Mercedes-Benz Sprinter may be evaluated for an armoured VIP van, executive passenger transporter or protected minibus project. The base vehicle, payload, protection objective and legal requirements are evaluated within Ertex's approved production approach, supported by completed testing and homologation.
Does bulletproof mean that a vehicle is protected against every threat?
No. Bulletproof is a common search term, but professional specifications use a defined ballistic resistance class and test configuration. No single class describes protection against every threat, and a class must not be assumed without project-specific evidence.
How is the ballistic protection level selected?
The target is selected after risk analysis, platform and payload review, destination-country rules and the applicable VPAM or EN test route are considered. The final class is confirmed only through the agreed engineering and evidence process.
Which systems can be integrated into a luxury armoured vehicle?
Depending on feasibility, a project may coordinate opaque and transparent armour, reinforced doors and hinges, overlaps, run-flat mobility, suspension, a privacy partition, communications, climate, executive seating, multimedia and service access.
Can a Cadillac Escalade or Mercedes G-Class be developed as an armoured VIP vehicle?
A suitable base vehicle can be evaluated project by project after the protection objective, payload, technical integration and destination approvals are reviewed together.
Have Ertex armoured vehicle products completed testing and homologation?
Yes. Ertex products have completed the required testing and homologation processes, and the cabin is designed and produced in line with this approved production approach. The approval requirements of the delivery country are defined at the start of the project.
What do B4, B6 and B7 protection levels mean in armoured vehicles?
Protection levels show which weapons and ammunition the glass and body were tested against. B4 generally refers to protection against handgun rounds, while B6 and B7 provide higher protection against rifle rounds. In Europe, glass and body protection are defined by the EN 1063 and EN 1522 standards, with similar levels classified under VPAM. Ertex determines the level according to the risk assessment, platform and intended use.
Which vehicles can be converted into an armoured VIP vehicle?
Ertex works on armoured projects with the Mercedes Sprinter, Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes G-Class platforms. If you request another platform, the vehicle, intended use and protection objective are evaluated together.
What information is needed to order an armoured vehicle?
The usage scenario, target protection level, platform, passenger layout and delivery country are enough to begin. You can share them through the request form or WhatsApp; our team replies within one business day at the latest.
How are comfort and driving affected in an armoured vehicle?
As the protection level rises, glass thickness and vehicle weight increase. For this reason Ertex plans the protection package, cabin architecture, visibility and access together at the start of the project.
Is an armoured vehicle project kept confidential?
Details of our armoured projects, including clients, are generally not shared. Your security matters to us.
How does an armoured vehicle project start?
The process has four steps: defining the need, armoured capsule engineering, VIP integration and approved production. To begin, submit the request form or write to us on WhatsApp. For more information, see our VIP vehicle design and conversion pages.
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