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.

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