Photo: Mercedes Benz
Mercedes has just added a new model to the S-Class range. It's called the S600 Guard and even though it looks like just another S-Class with strobe lights and embassy flags, it's actually very special.
As the name suggests, this is a heavily armored version of the S600. Using the latest technology, Mercedes-Benz engineers have made this long limousine into the safest car on earth. The Guard is the first vehicle in the world to be certified for the highest ballistics protection class right now, called VR9.
Giving the S-Class its tank-like characteristics is a new type of steel that's been inserted between the body shell of the car and the outer skin. Most areas of the passenger cabin are protected in 50 millimeters of steel plating. Layers of aramide and polyethylene elements protect the occupants against fire and trap shrapnel. The glass that could one day save Angela Merkel's life is extra-thick, coated with polycarbonate on the inside and features a laminated structure. In simple terms, qualifying for the VR9 class means the S600 Guard is resistant to all types of small arms and can withstand explosive devices as well and splintering explosive devices fired at close range.
Power continues to come from the same V12 fitted with twin turbochargers. It's one of the most impressive mills ever put together by the German carmaker and should get any head of stage out of trouble in a hurry. The engine packs 530 horsepower and 800 NM of torque, delivered to the ground using special run-flat Michelin PAX tires that can run for up to 30 km (19 miles) even when damaged. Because of the added weight, the tires are under higher strains and the braking system can't cope with the high speeds that the S-Class is capable of. That's why the vehicle is electronically limited to just 130 mph (210 km/h).
Pricing information has not been officially revealed, but the S600 Guard is expected to fetch around €350,000, depending on specifications. All models will be built by hand in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, the same place where Mercedes also puts together armored versions of the E-Class, M-Class and G-Class.
Mercedes has a long tradition of making cars for heads of state. Seeing Merkel or Putin in the new S600 is sure to attract even more customers to the three-pointed star brand.
Giving the S-Class its tank-like characteristics is a new type of steel that's been inserted between the body shell of the car and the outer skin. Most areas of the passenger cabin are protected in 50 millimeters of steel plating. Layers of aramide and polyethylene elements protect the occupants against fire and trap shrapnel. The glass that could one day save Angela Merkel's life is extra-thick, coated with polycarbonate on the inside and features a laminated structure. In simple terms, qualifying for the VR9 class means the S600 Guard is resistant to all types of small arms and can withstand explosive devices as well and splintering explosive devices fired at close range.
Power continues to come from the same V12 fitted with twin turbochargers. It's one of the most impressive mills ever put together by the German carmaker and should get any head of stage out of trouble in a hurry. The engine packs 530 horsepower and 800 NM of torque, delivered to the ground using special run-flat Michelin PAX tires that can run for up to 30 km (19 miles) even when damaged. Because of the added weight, the tires are under higher strains and the braking system can't cope with the high speeds that the S-Class is capable of. That's why the vehicle is electronically limited to just 130 mph (210 km/h).
Pricing information has not been officially revealed, but the S600 Guard is expected to fetch around €350,000, depending on specifications. All models will be built by hand in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, the same place where Mercedes also puts together armored versions of the E-Class, M-Class and G-Class.
Mercedes has a long tradition of making cars for heads of state. Seeing Merkel or Putin in the new S600 is sure to attract even more customers to the three-pointed star brand.
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