Brazil a hotbed for armored car modifications

Armored cars are cool, but the circumstances in which they're needed are not. Many countries in Latin America have seen a widening gap between rich and poor, sending crime in the form of robberies and kidnappings directed at the country's upper crust skyrocketing. The monied are forced to recruit top-notch mechanics, who take apart brand new cars and refit them with tens of thousands of dollars worth of bulletproof glass and steel-reinforced panels. Very often, the cars and SUVs return not much later with bullet holes needing patching. Read the linked AP story to learn more about the $47K+ Nissan Xterra, the 2.4 inch-thick bulletproof glass that resists armor-piercing bullets, and the money being made in Brazil by companies able to do the modifications.