Mercedes Introduces Armored S-Class
Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on November 9, 2005 at 8:50 AM CST
What do the President, Columbia's largest exporter of cocaine, and
the Pope all have in common? They all need protection.
Sure, they could all drive around in M1 Abrams tanks, but protection
isn't enough. Prominent officials (and drug dealers) want more than
just protection, they want protection and luxury.
Thankfully, Mercedes has heard their pleas, announcing today they
will be offering an armored version of the S600, dubbed the S600
Guard, beginning in 2006.
According to the press release, the S600 Guard meets the
specification of the B6/B7 protection standard, which is the maximum
level. Highlights include being able to withstand military-grade
small arms fire (as well as hand grenade shrapnel and explosive
devices), run-flat tires, a self-sealing gas tank, and an alarm
system for endangered occupants.
Mercedes also states that despite the modifications to the S600
Guard, interior space, handling properties, and ride quality will
remain virtually unchanged from a standard S600.
I must say that I'm not currently in the market for the S600 Guard,
but if I lived in the Middle East, I know what I'd be asking Santa
for this Christmas.
For more info, you can check out the full press release and photo at
http://emercedesbenz.com/Nov05/09MercedesArmoredSClass.html
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
New Mercedes S-Class Fitted As S-Guard Special Protection Vehicle
Before Leaving The Plant
Stuttgart, Nov 09, 2005
Mercedes-Benz is rounding out the new S-Class series with an armoured
special protection version. Because the new S-Guard's protective
features are integrated into the vehicle before it leaves the
production plant, it offers an unsurpassed level of protection
against terrorist attacks and the threat of violent crime. Such top-
quality protection is impossible to provide by retrofitting a vehicle
with armour. Customers will be able to purchase the new model — the
Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard with a 12-cylinder engine — beginning in 2006.
With the new S-Guard, Mercedes-Benz is continuing an uninterrupted
tradition of developing special protection vehicles that stretches
back almost 80 years. Following the principle of integrated special
protection, specialists with many years of experience in protection
technology will be producing the new top model in the Guard family of
vehicles in Sindelfingen. In accordance with this principle, the
protective elements for the doors, rear wall, side components, roof
lining and bulkhead are not installed in a vehicle after it rolls off
the production line; they are integrated into the vehicle’s body
right from the start in a separate production process. This also
makes it possible to include all the protective reinforcements in the
body structure from the start. The higher weight of these protective
elements ensures that the body will have the same high quality that
is a hallmark of Mercedes-Benz series models. This results in the
highest degree of comprehensive protection while maintaining the
characteristic Mercedes standards of production quality, even in
parts of the vehicle that would be nearly impossible to access
afterwards.
Outstanding comfort and superior performance
The integration of the protective elements causes virtually no
reduction of the new S-Class’ interior space, which provides all
passengers with first-class luxury, outstanding comfort and superior
performance. The generous dimensions of the chassis components and
brakes ensure that the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard saloon displays handling
properties almost identical to series models so that the driver
always enjoys an optimal driving experience. In addition, the chassis
design ensures that the level of comfort typical of Mercedes-Benz is
undiminished, despite the higher weight.
The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard’s enhanced 12-cylinder biturbo engine
(380 kW/517 hp) offers dynamic power reserves, giving the luxury
saloon the sports car-like performance needed to escape any dangerous
situation as quickly as possible.
The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard provides protection that meets the
specifications of the B6/B7 protection standard, which is the maximum
level. Military-grade small arms fire cannot penetrate the vehicle’s
armour, which also protects occupants from hand grenade shrapnel and
other explosive devices. Additional security features include tyres
with run-flat properties, a self-sealing fuel tank and an alarm
system for endangered occupants.
A look at the exterior of the new special protection saloon gives
hardly any indication of its impressive security features. That is
because discretion is a top priority, in addition to confidentiality,
reliability and quality. And prominent figures all over the world
value the ability to travel incognito, which they also can enjoy in
the new Mercedes-Benz S-Guard.
With all the pioneering developments of the new S-Class
The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is equipped with the same technological
innovations that make the Mercedes flagship model the standard-
setting vehicle for all passenger car development and the world’s
best-selling luxury saloon. These innovations include important new
developments such as Brake Assist PLUS in combination with DISTRONIC
PLUS with radar sensors, the new COMAND-APS and the preventive PRE-
SAFEŽ-occupant protection with additional functions. In addition, the
S-Guard’s agile handling and maximum level of comfort guarantee
unsurpassed driving performance.
For more Mercedes-Benz news and information, visit eMercedesBenz at
www.eMercedesBenz.com