Mercedes Maybach, the high-end badge of the German automaker, has taken the covers off its latest creation – the S600 Pullman Guard. It is based on the ‘standard’ S600 Pullman but is beefed up with extra armour.
So what sets this safety oriented limo from its ‘standard’ sibling? Well, at first glance, it would be kind of hard to tell (as is the case with most Mercedes-Benz cars nowadays). It looks just the same as the standard car but gets a light tinting on the windows. But it is kind of hard to miss the car thanks to its 6.50 metre length, bling loaded exterior and of course, that famous three-pointed star logo on the hood.
It is when you step inside that the magic really starts to come alive. There is space for four to be seated in absolute comfort. Literally the passengers could stretch their legs as far as it could take them thanks to the 4.48 metre wheelbase (which to put into perspective is a full 120mm more than the complete length of the A-Class hatchback). You get every known creature comfort offered for the S-Class range including a sliding partition for the driver and passenger compartment which can turn opaque at the touch of a button. Everything is leather lined and electrically adjustable to ensure that the occupants can dedicate their mental and physical faculties to more pressing issues like running a country or a major industry.
Now here comes the interesting bit… The car has been designed from the ground up to be VR9 level bullet resistant and ERV 2010 blast resistant. This means a standard assault rifle or a 15kg TNT bomb can be let loose and the occupants will still be safe. The entire glass area is coated with a polycarbonate for splinter protection and has a thick glaze for better protection. All this armour has come at a cost which is that this ultra-luxurious limo tips the scales at 5.6 tonnes! But then again such vehicles are usually about arriving in style and in comfort rather than in speed and tyre smoke. Powering this regal beast is a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 that produces 530bhp and a massive 830Nm of torque which comes in at just 1900rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed AT.
The car will be unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and the first deliveries will begin in mid-2017 to customers around the globe and is priced at 1.56 million dollars. We believe that the Indian government is sure to purchase a few and even replace the existing car that is used by President Pranab Mukherjee.
