New top-of-the-range Guard model offering Highest Protection
Mercedes-Benz has completed the new S-Class range by introducing an armoured special-protection model. Thanks to its factory-integrated protective features, the new S-Guard provides a unique level of protection against attacks and threats posed by violent crime. The new model is initially available in Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard guise, with a twelve-cylinder engine and a long wheelbase.
The new Mercedes-Benz S-Guard is the logical continuation of an almost 80-year unbroken tradition in the development of special-protection vehicles. This new top-of-the-range Guard model is produced in Sindelfingen, Germany by vastly experienced specialists working on the principle of integrated special protection. In effect this means that, rather than retrofitting the protective elements in the doors, rear wall, side panels, roof lining and firewall etc. of an already finished vehicle, they fully integrate them into the bodyshell on a dedicated production line.
All the body-structure reinforcements required due to the extra weight of the protective elements can therefore be incorporated right from the start. The resulting vehicles offer hallmark Mercedes-Benz build quality combined with comprehensive Highest Protection, including in those areas where post-production access would be all but impossible.
Outstanding comfort and effortlessly superior performance
The S-Class interior space concept, which makes for a first-class ambience combined with outstanding ride comfort for all the occupants, not to mention effortlessly superior handling, remains virtually unaffected. Furthermore, generously dimensioned chassis components and twin-calliper front brakes lend the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard Saloon hallmark Mercedes handling qualities and provide the driver with an optimal driving feel at all times. Plus the chassis has been configured so as not to impair the sumptuous level of comfort that distinguishes the standard-production S-Class.
At the heart of the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is a twelve-cylinder biturbo engine developing 380 kW/517 hp, whose scintillating performance capability allows the luxury saloon to escape from dangerous situations with breathtaking speed.
The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard offers Highest Protection and has been engineered to resistance level B6/B7, as tested and certified by state-approved organisations. Its armour resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and provides protection against fragments from hand grenades and other explosive charges. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, a self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.
Yet the Highest Protection that underpins the new Guard Saloon is scarcely noticeable from the outside. After all, discretion is as much of a must as trust, reliability and quality. Prominent personalities in particular like to travel incognito, wherever they happen to be, and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Guard gives them this option.
All the trailblazing developments of the new S-Class
The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is equipped with the same technical innovations that have made the flagship Mercedes S-Class the number-one trailblazer in passenger car development and the world’s best-selling luxury saloon. These include important new developments such as Brake Assist PLUS and the PRE SAFE® brake in combination with DISTRONIC PLUS, night view assist and the enhanced PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system. On top of all this, the outstanding level of interior comfort and extremely agile handling make for an effortlessly superior driving experience.
S-Class with factory-integrated special protection: Safety of the very highest calibre
- Highest safety level exceeds requirements stipulated by Euro standard
- State-of-the-art twelve-cylinder powerplant developing 380 kW/517 hp
- Ride comfort and handling qualities practically on a par with those of the standard-production model
Launched in October 2006, the new S 600 Guard based on the S-Class with long wheelbase (3165 mm) is the flagship model in the Mercedes-Benz Guard range. An output of 380 kW/517 hp and a peak torque of 830 Nm ensure powerful, effortlessly superior propulsion, so the extra weight of around 1400 kg is scarcely noticeable in everyday life, as well as allowing the vehicle to escape from dangerous situations extremely quickly should the need arise.
The interior space concept, which offers all four passengers first-class luxury, the outstanding ride comfort and the effortlessly superior handling – all hallmarks of the standard-production version of the new S-Class – remain virtually unaffected. Generously dimensioned chassis components and brakes lend the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard Saloon handling qualities that are almost on a par with those of the series-production model and provide the driver with an optimal driving feel at all times. Plus the chassis has been designed so as not to impair the exceptional level of comfort that Mercedes cars are renowned for.
Fully-enclosed protective cage
Thanks to its factory-integrated protective components made of high-alloyed special steels and bulletproof glass, which form a protective shell all the way around the passenger cell, the new top-of-the-range Mercedes-Benz Guard model provides a unique level of protection against attacks and threats posed by violent crime. The armour resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and therefore meets the requirements of the Euro standard for resistance levels B6/B7. Furthermore, when attacked with explosives or hand grenades, the S 600 Guard meets additional requirements that are not even stipulated by any standard, as tested and certified by public and independent organisations.
Chassis modified to take the extra strain
The Mercedes engineers completely redesigned the chassis to cope with the extra weight of the protective elements, focussing on the following areas:
- Reinforcement of the links between the chassis components and the bodyshell
- Specifically targeted modification of the chassis components themselves
- An additional steel spring on the rear axle to support the air suspension
- Larger twin-calliper front brake discs, for outstanding deceleration whenever required
- Run-flat wheels developed by Michelin (PAX), featuring an inner supporting ring on a special wheel rim and offering outstanding run-flat properties even when the tyres are completely deflated
Even the electronic control systems such as ESP® have been completely redesigned by the chassis specialists and adapted in line with the changed requirements and extra weight. This is especially important in terms of offering the S-Guard driver effective assistance in emergency situations. In addition, the S 600 Guard is fitted with the full complement of airbags and a fully-fledged version of the unique PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system.
Fully equipped for emergencies
The special-protection equipment package for the new S 600 Guard also incorporates the following features (selected examples):
- An emergency fresh-air system (optional) which effectively counteracts dangerous gaseous substances. Sensors detect smoke or tear gas, whereupon the air-conditioning system automatically blocks the supply of fresh air from outside. In addition, fresh air from an on-board compressed-air cylinder creates a slight overpressure in the interior so that even the finest of gases and substances have immense difficulty penetrating the passenger compartment. The driver can also activate the emergency fresh-air system manually as a precaution
- A fire-extinguishing system with twelve nozzles and two cylinders of extinguishing agent. Triggered either by heat sensors or manually
- A pneumatic emergency control system for the power windows, which operates independently of the on-board electronics
- An emergency boot opening facility which allows occupants to free themselves from the boot of the car by means of a switch located on the inside of the boot lid
- A special-protection fuel tank that reseals itself if perforated by projectiles
- An optional Panic Alarm System which can be activated from anywhere in the vehicle. It locks the doors to create a protected zone and alerts the outside world by means of visual and audible alarm signals. It also allows communication with the outside world via an intercom
- A rear camera which monitors the area behind the vehicle
- A heated front windscreen and heated front windows, and this despite the use of special glass
- An infinitely adjustable doorhold system for all four doors
- Rear doors that are pulled shut automatically over the last few millimetres
- Electric roller blinds in the rear replace the previously fitted curtains so as to be less conspicuous when driving in traffic
All the innovations of the new S-Class
Naturally, the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is equipped with the same technical innovations that make the flagship Mercedes S-Class the number-one trailblazer in passenger car development and the world’s best-selling luxury saloon. These include important new developments such as Brake Assist PLUS and the new PRE-SAFE® brake in conjunction with DISTRONIC PLUS, complete with radar sensors, night view assist and the enhanced PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system.
The Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS) radar sensors detect other vehicles in front of the car. If the S-Guard gets too close to the vehicle ahead or approaches it too quickly, the system warns the driver. If there is a risk of a collision, it instantaneously calculates the optimal braking power required and makes this available immediately as soon as the driver starts braking, even if the brake pedal is not pressed hard enough.
The unique PRE-SAFE® brake – a world first – supplements Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS) and goes one step further still by braking the car automatically with around 40 percent of the maximum braking power if there is a serious accident risk. This substantially reduces the number of head-to-tail collisions and the risk of occupant injuries.
Mercedes-Benz combines Brake Assist PLUS and the PRE-SAFE® brake with the equally unique PRE-SAFE® occupant protection system which offers even more safety functions in the new S-Class. PRE-SAFE® identifies situations which might turn into accidents: if the deceleration rate exceeds a set level or if there is a risk of skidding, the system tensions the front seat belts as a precaution and inflates air cushions in the multicontour seats to provide support and hold the driver, front passenger and rear passengers firmly in place.
New assistance system for stop-and-go traffic
Brake Assist PLUS can be specified in conjunction with another modified system in the shape of DISTRONIC proximity control. In stop-and-go traffic, this radar-based system maintains the desired distance between the car and the vehicle in front, automatically decelerates the Saloon at a rate of up to four m/s2 – to a complete standstill if necessary – and then accelerates the car back up to the speed programmed in by the driver.
Brake Assist PLUS, the PRE-SAFE® brake and DISTRONIC PLUS are also supplemented by a new radar-based Parking Assist system which warns of an impending collision in plenty of time when the car is reversing.
Infrared headlamps for enhanced safety in the dark
The new Mercedes-Benz night view assist system further helps to reduce the risk of accidents in the dark. The system is based on infrared light which is invisible to the human eye and therefore does not dazzle oncoming traffic. Two infrared headlamps illuminate the road ahead and extend the driver’s range of vision considerably when dipped beam is switched on. An infrared camera on the inside of the windscreen records the reflected image of the road and projects it onto the instrument cluster display.
Control concept with COMAND controller and hotkeys
The control concept has been further enhanced. Key features include special hotkey-type buttons which provide fast access to frequently used functions. Depending on his or her preferences, the driver can operate the radio, TV receiver, CD/DVD changer, car phone and navigation system using conventional switches, via buttons on the multifunctional steering wheel or with the help of the enhanced COMAND system.
The Cockpit Management and Data System – COMAND for short – features a new design and now offers even more options. The central operating unit is the new COMAND controller on the transmission tunnel, which can be used to select the main menus and submenus as well as activate the functions. The telephone keypad is concealed beneath the handrest lid.
The large, swivelling COMAND colour display is positioned at the same height as the instrument cluster and is therefore even better placed within the driver’s and front passenger’s field of vision. COMAND includes a car radio, a CD/DVD player and a slot for PC memory cards (PCMCIA cards) as standard. As an option, Mercedes-Benz can equip COMAND with a hard-disc-based navigation system which enables even faster route calculation than before.
Enhanced multicontour seats and a relaxing back massage
Mercedes customers can tailor the newly developed seats for the S-Class to their individual comfort needs. Twelve-way power-adjustable front seats with lumbar supports are specified as standard, whilst optional extras include heated and actively ventilated luxury seats, multicontour seats (front and rear) or dynamic multicontour seats (front).
Individualisation options for even the most unusual customer requests
Each Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard displays its own unique brand of styling thanks to an extensive range of appointments similar to that available for the standard-production S-Class, including a choice of paint finishes, leather upholstery and wood trims. There is just the one constraint: none of the appointments are allowed to impair the level of occupant protection. The designo range is also available to give the S 600 Guard an even more personal touch. Plus the interior can be fully tailored to the most specific of requirements, enabling the creation of a relaxed and comfortable environment in which the owner can work on the move or simply sit back and enjoy the ride.
Uncomplicated service and comprehensive support
It goes without saying that all Mercedes-Benz Guard Saloons can be serviced or repaired at any Mercedes-Benz service outlet – a key component of our comprehensive, uncomplicated, high-level service concept.
Service also includes one-to-one assistance and support for those looking to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Guard vehicle. As well as giving buyers tailored advice and a detailed explanation of the vehicle and its functions, we offer intensive chauffeur training so that S-Guard drivers can get to know the vehicle inside out. Topics covered by these courses for the chauffeur elite include the right response when faced with threats, lessons in driving physics and active training sessions in which drivers learn how to master control of the heavier car in tricky situations.
Development, testing and production: Safety first is MB’s motto
- Development starts at an early stage
- Special solutions for special-protection vehicles
- Extensive trials on test rigs and on the road
- Produced by hand-picked specialists
Mercedes-Benz engineers always start thinking about safety at a very early stage. And the developers of the armoured special-protection models that go by the name of Mercedes-Benz Guard are no different. Their work begins as early as two years before the first pilot-production model of the conventional, non-armoured series even takes shape.
At this early stage, special-protection development is based on the design and production data records which describe every last detail of the future model. The engineers use this information to determine where the protective elements can be housed in the bodyshell. This is primarily a question of the available space. Steel and plastic armour is installed so that it is inconspicuous and in no way diminishes the customer benefit delivered by the standard-production model – for instance, it has to be just as easy to get into the car, and the car must provide the same feeling of well-being and spaciousness.
The developers are equally meticulous in their approach when it comes to implementing design measures to compensate for the stresses caused by the extra weight of a special-protection vehicle. The protective cell with its robust armour is a fully integral part of the car and, as such, allows the forces of any impacts to be channelled into it via the wheels, bearings, axle components and body reinforcements.
In addition to this, maintenance and repair requirements have to be taken into account as early as the design stage, since workshop staff need easy access to all the vehicle’s major components despite the armoured shield around the car.
The special-protection developers also have to factor in certain parameters, such as how to best use existing series-production facilities. If these do not meet their requirements, however, the specialists are not averse to developing their own solutions for the production of individual components.
For the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard, the developers designed around 500 components alone using steel. Then there are numerous components made from plastic and glass. They all join together with the bodyshell to create a fully-enclosed cell which is self-supporting and therefore further reinforces the vehicle. This is one of the main reasons behind the vehicle’s outstanding durability and longevity.
Stress on the test rig
One thing the Mercedes-Benz special-protection experts are keen to avoid is a reliance on theory. This is why they fully check the design measures under realistic conditions, subjecting the Guard models to an extensive series of in-house tests. The vehicles are checked on test rigs using specially selected products and placed under extreme loads so that even the slightest flaws are inexorably detected and remedied.
The hydropulse rig, for example, is used to test ride comfort, active safety and durability. Here the methods applied constitute nothing but pure stress for the vehicles on test. Their wheels are positioned on four hydraulically operated cylinders which simulate torture-track vibrations. These cylinders can also make the wheels vibrate at random or imitate sudden collisions with sharp-edged objects. The aim of all this is to determine the correct configuration for optimal road contact and, therefore, optimal active safety. Meticulous optimisation of the tiniest details is also part of the programme, including fine-tuning of the shock absorbers, engine mounts and axle mounts.
In the hot- and cold-air tunnels, on the other hand, all that matters is temperature. Wind speeds of up to 100 km/h, temperatures as high as 50 degrees or as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius and 100-percent relative humidity add up to create a hellish climate, the like of which most places on earth reachable by road never even experience. Here the aim is to ensure optimum passenger comfort even under the most extreme of climate conditions.
Extensive tests are carried out to ensure that each Guard vehicle meets stringent Mercedes-Benz crash requirements. With respect to occupant safety in road accidents, the special-protection vehicles are therefore fully up to date and, like every Mercedes-Benz production vehicle, achieve excellent ratings in crash tests.
Further simulations are performed to make sure that external factors cannot interfere with the vehicle’s electronic systems and that the vehicle acoustics are of the usual high Mercedes standard.
Yet the old adage still applies: the sternest challenge is everyday life. This is why Mercedes-Benz Guard models undergo an additional one hundred thousand kilometres of testing in practically every corner of the world, the aim being to verify their practicality in all conceivable climate conditions and road or traffic scenarios.
They are driven on the most atrocious surfaces, continuously bounced over a series of obstacles and plunged mercilessly into deep potholes. They also have to endure extreme manoeuvres during test and trial drives on the Grossglockner mountain pass, on cordoned-off test tracks or in the sweltering heat of Laredo in Texas. All in the name of optimising steering comfort and fine-tuning the chassis, brakes and electronic control systems.
Mercedes-Benz Guard production: all done by hand
Guard models are produced on a dedicated production line which is part of the large-scale series-production network. Here, on two floors, hand-picked specialists assemble the Mercedes-Benz special-protection models. And highly-skilled manual work is very much the order of the day.
This begins with the production of the 500 or so steel elements for the S 600 Guard. An engineer uses a 3000-bar water jet to cut each part, working to a pattern comprising sheets of high-alloyed special steels of varying sizes and thicknesses, which have been continuously further enhanced over a period of several decades.
Shaping these steel components requires an immense degree of feel and vast experience in the handling of hard, ductile special steels which can often prove extremely unruly during this process. Experts who are familiar with every last detail of the steel’s structure, and who use this knowledge in every step of the process, man special presses equipped with in-house-developed bending and shaping tools. Here every tenth of a millimetre counts as there is so little installation space available in the car. They carefully start bending the material around, meticulously check the initial result using specially produced gauges and then continue shaping the material until they are satisfied with the result.
Some components are welded together by hand to form larger subassemblies which are then heat-treated in their entirety. This process radically alters the steel’s structure, making the steel impossible to bend. Only then does it fulfil the stringent ballistic requirements.
After this, specialists install the protective components in the bodyshell. Then components such as the side walls have to be returned to the production line where they are integrated into the body in a process known as geometric joining. This process ensures that the Mercedes-Benz Guard bodyshells have exactly the same geometry as their standard-production counterparts. Specially trained Guard fitters then get to work again to reinforce the entire basic structure of the vehicle. This reinforcement process takes in the vehicle floor, the chassis mountings, brackets for the floor armour, covers for the tunnel area and other components. In between each stage of production, the Guard components repeatedly pass through strict in-house checkpoints for quality-control purposes. Finally the bodyshells are returned to the series-production line to be painted in accordance with stringent Mercedes-Benz paint-quality and corrosion-protection standards.
After the paintwork has been applied, the engine, chassis and interior are fitted – painstakingly by hand once more. Only then is the passenger cell fully protected. And only then does it meet typically high Mercedes quality standards.
Special-protection target groups and markets: Mercedes-Benz Guard: designed to defy acts of violence everywhere
- Mercedes-Benz Guard vehicles held in high esteem
- Two resistance levels designed to fulfil different sets of requirements
- World-wide demand for special-protection models on the increase
Violent crime is big business. Too big to let a few car occupants get in the way. This is borne out by statistics which show an increase in gang-based crime, armed robberies and carjacking.
For many years now, heads of state, leading diplomats and top managers have only ventured out onto the road in armoured cars. Even motorists who are far less in the public spotlight admit to feeling unsafe at times.
Mercedes-Benz Guard models are designed to defy acts of violence. The flagship model in the Mercedes-Benz Guard range is the S-Guard. Further vehicles with factory-integrated special protection include the E-Guard and the G-Guard. Depending on requirements, the armoured versions can withstand revolver fire or other gunshots and even hand grenades or explosives. Yet they still provide their occupants with the ultimate in comfort and everyday practicality.
Vast experience breeds trust and confidence
The Mercedes-Benz Guard models with factory-integrated special protection are held in particularly high esteem. The high esteem in which the armoured vehicles displaying the Mercedes star are held and the trust people place in them is the product of many years of hard work. “We take our customers’ requirements seriously and have been further developing our special-protection vehicles on an almost permanent basis since way back in 1928”, says Dr Rainer Gärtner, head of Mercedes-Benz Guard sales. The basis for this is long-standing, close cooperation with nationally and internationally recognised security authorities. This ensures that the Mercedes specialists are always fully briefed on the latest security requirements and are able to consolidate their position at the leading edge of vehicle protection technology and ballistics. And this is why the Mercedes-Benz Guard models are universally renowned for their high standards of safety and security.
Mercedes-Benz offers a choice of High Protection or Highest Protection
Mercedes-Benz also uses this know-how acquired over a period of several years to provide answers to different threat scenarios, offering Mercedes-Benz Guard models with various resistance levels in accordance with the European standard:
High-Protection vehicles, engineered to the European B4 resistance level, resist large-calibre revolver ammunition and offer especially effective protection against the increasing threat of drug-related and violent street crime
Highest-Protection vehicles, engineered to resistance level B6/B7, provide effective protection against the threat posed by terrorist attacks. Their armour is designed to resist military-standard small-arms projectiles which have a velocity almost twice that of bullets fired from a revolver. They also offer protection against fragments from hand grenades and explosive charges
The Mercedes models in both protection categories have been developed in accordance with internationally recognised security standards and have successfully undergone both testing and certification by independent state organisations.
Key markets for special-protection vehicles
Demand for special-protection vehicles is rising and is currently especially high in Latin America, South Africa and southern Europe. In these regions, most buyers opt for High-Protection vehicles (resistance level B4). In Central Europe and the former Soviet states, however, Highest-Protection Guard models are more the norm (resistance level B6/B7). Further key markets for special-protection vehicles include the Near East, the Middle East and Asia.
Technical data for the S 600 Guard (B6/B7)
Cylinder arrangement……………V12
Output (kW(hp)/at rpm)………..380 (517)/5000
Displacement (cc) ……………….5513
Maximum torque (Nm/at rpm)….830/1800-3500
Maximum speed (km/h)…………electronically limited 210
Permitted GVW (kg)……………..4200
Tank capacity (litres)…………….90
Boot capacity (litres)…………….483
Tyres……………………………….Michelin PAX 245-700 R470 AC
Tyre dimensions………………….Michelin PAX 235-470A ET56
Wheel design…………………….7-spoke
Seats………………………………4
Mercedes-Benz Guard, G-Class, E-Class, S-Class
History: Mercedes-Benz Guard’s rich tradition
Special-protection development since 1928. It was almost 80 years ago that Mercedes-Benz built the first ex factory special-protection vehicle – a W 08/460 “Nürburg” model. The 770 K, which once provided protection befitting the status of Japanese Emperor Hirohito, followed in 1930. Today the 770 K can be seen at the Mercedes Museum in Untertürkheim. Since 1964, numerous special-protection models have been developed, ranging from the legendary Mercedes-Benz 600 to the 450 SEL and the G-Class Off-roader.