Armored Cars – Your Safety Guaranteed!
Once the preserve of presidents, tin-pot dictators and assorted heads of state, armored cars have become the must-have mode of transport of Hollywood A-listers such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kanye West (he’s got two!), Steven Seagal and even the Spice Girls’ (remember them?) Scary Spice.
And, apparently, there is quite a demand for these vehicles in South Africa as well. So it was no surprise to find three of them displayed at the 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show at the Expo Centre, Nasrec. The 2013 show, which runs until Sunday, 27 October, is a must-visit for all car enthusiasts.
Two of the armoured vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz M-Guard and a bullet-proof QX70 Infiniti, can be seen on the manufacturers’ stands. However, the third high-security car, the Audi A8 L W12 Security, is hidden away in a restricted access lounge at the rear of the Audi display area and is obviously only to be viewed by potential buyers.
The pitch-black, ominous-looking Audi Security, a long-wheelbase version of the A8, meets the strictest guidelines for civilian vehicles, with a host of special security features available in addition to its heavy armouring – making it double the weight of a “normal” A8.
Once you are in the car, you needn’t worry about bullets penetrating the windows or body panels, and the Audi can even withstand NATO hard-core ammunition and a hand grenade attack.
This is achieved by using the most advanced tough, resistant materials – hot-formed armored steel, aramide fabric, ceramics, special alloyed aluminium and multilayer windows made of special glass with a polycarbonate coating on the inside to prevent shattering.
