Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard to be launched in India on May 21

Mercedes-Benz will launch the S600 Guard for the Indian market on May 21. It will join the E-Guard and M-Guard and will be the flagship of the German automaker’s armoured vehicle line-up that it offers in India. The vehicle, in its latest iteration, was unveiled in August last year, and is currently on sale in a variety of markets both in Europe and Asia.

The S600 Guard is certified for VR9 level of protection which is the highest level of ballistic protection for an armoured vehicle in the world. It gets components made from special steel that is integrated into the cavities between the body structure and the outer skin. They have also used a special Aramide and PE components to provide additional splinter protection. The glass sections have been coated in a polycarbonate on the inside for splinter protection and also have a laminated structure.

On the visual front, there is very little to differentiate the Guard models from the ‘standard’ S600 flagship luxury sedan. It gets the same exterior design and cabin layout as well as the feature list. However, some of the Guard specific features include opaque roller blinds, emergency fresh air system, heated windows and windscreen and LED reading lamps.

The engine is a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 that produces 528bhp and 830Nm of torque with power going to the rear wheels via a seven-speed DCT. It has a weight limited top speed of 210kmph. The S600 Guard is a made-to-order vehicle so prices will vary depending on the owner’s requirement. The only other car that rivals this model in India is the 7 Series High Security which is currently the vehicle used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.