Flagship Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman Gets Armored 'Guard' Variant

Mercedes-Benz has continued its tradition of offering armored versions of its most luxurious models with the introduction of the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman Guard.

Just like the 'regular' Maybach S600 Guard, the new Pullman derivative has been designed to provide optimal protection to heads of states and other at-risk individuals. As such, it incorporates a protection class of VR9 which means it can withstand small explosive devices and gunfire from a host of different weapons.

To make the car so safe, specially made steel has been integrated into the cavities between the body structure and the outer skin. Additionally, aramid and PE components throughout the exterior provide splinter protection. As for the windows, they have been coated in polycarbonate. The rear window hasn't been armored but instead, a steel bulkhead has been positioned behind the rear seats to protection passengers. All up, the 6.5 meter long behemoth weighs 5.1 tonnes (11,243 lbs).

Beyond its protection, the Maybach S600 Pullman Guard includes sirens, two-way radios, an emergency starter battery, sirens and an external loudspeaker. 

Elsewhere, the vehicle remains the same as the non-armored version. That means it is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine delivering 530 hp and 830 Nm of torque from just 1,600 rpm. Due to the added weight of the Guard, the vehicle's top speed has been electronically limited to 160 km/h (99 mph).

Inside, customers will be treated with arguably the finest levels of luxury available on any production car. This includes executive seats at the rear which can recline up to 43.5 degrees and come with an adjustable support for the lower legs of passengers. As you'd expect, there's the same array of heating and massage functions as other S-Class models.

In Germany, the range-topping Guard starts at just under 1.4 million euros ($1.56 million) and customer deliveries will commence in the second half of 2017.