Mercedes-Benz S-Guard – Track Experience

Easy out of the pitlane on to the start-finish straight, wide entry to the first corner, straight line the uphill left hander, brake early and commit to the hairpin right on the crest even before seeing it. On a good day this will mean you hit 200kmph mark on the back straight of Buddh International Circuit before the half way mark. This was a good day, but the needle was taking an awfully lot of time 180… 190… two-third of the distance covered and we were fast approaching the braking point. The magic figure seemed achievable, delay hitting the brakes by few metres and we will make it, the only problem was physics. We were in a 4.5 tonne solid metal block hurling downhill and inertia was even more annoying than as a topic in school books. While my German companion seemed unfazed, Rohan had already shifted twice in his back seat before inadvertently uttering , ‘Dude, just keep us safe!’.

And just as I stamped the pedal from 200kmph, Markus Rubenbauer turned with a disarming smile, “Relax, you are in an S-Guard!”

Simply put, the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard is an armoured version of the S-Class sedan; one that is made to protect the passengers from the mortal perils that sometimes come with the privilege and ability of owning one. But it is designed in a manner to avoid getting any excess attention to itself for the special abilities it possesses.

From the outside, the S-Guard looks exactly like the standard S-Class, there is no way of distinguishing between the two. The interior is also the same as that of the standard car, providing the same level of features and utility. And while I can go in to the details of how the S-Guard is all the car one needs, I will rather want you to have a look at Venkat’s review of the S-Class where he has covered each aspect exhaustively.

The difference then is in the way S-Guard is built; the passenger cabin gets VR9 level safety certification against ballistic ammunitions – the only one to get this rating (highest) among passenger cars. This is achieved by replacing the windows with bulletproof glass and inserting armour plates into the body panels. Then there are other safety features like an explosion resistant tank, fire extinguishers, run flat tyres and few more that would keep the car moving in case of an ambush.

The result, then, is a car that can withstand attack from a sniper, hand grenades, survive close range blasts and continue moving giving the security agencies enough time to react and get on top of the situation.

Obviously all of these additions weigh quite a bit and the total weight of the S-Guard is 1.9 ton more than the standard car. In Markus’ (Head of Mercedes Guard Division) words that is like the E-Class sitting on top of the S-Class. That is a lot of weight and requires a mammoth amount of power to haul. Mercedes hence relies on the 6.0-litre turbocharged V12 that develops 530bhp and 830Nm of torque. The power figures are good enough to put a smile on any enthusiasts face, but under the hood of this 4.5 tonne tank, it is just about enough to deliver respectable performance.

The torque helps in building momentum and the car gains speed in a steady manner. There are no jerks and the ratios of the seven-speed gearbox are spread out for a comfortable drive. Getting to 100kmph isn’t very difficult, but building speed from there on requires a lot of time. Mercedes says that the performance is similar to that of the S350 CDI, but out of the race track it felt little slower.

Since the S-Guard is a chauffeur-driven car, I spent some time in the rear seat to get a feel of the ride. Despite the extra weight, the ride quality of S-Guard feels plush. Of course, out of the race track there were no pot holes or speed humps, but the characteristic of the car is to offer a comfortable ride that will allow the owner to put his time to use. The body roll is not pronounced, especially considering the weight.

Mercedes has made various changes to the standard S-Class to manage the extra weight; this includes better suspension and equally important, bigger brakes. Despite the upgraded brakes it takes some effort to bring the car to a halt, this is also where the weight of the car becomes evident. The Michelin PAX run flat tyres are standard on the car and the cost of training two drivers is part of the price one pays to get this car.

The S-Guard is a serious car; it can act as an office on wheels as the owner prepares for the next meeting, a quiet place to take a nap before the hustle bustle commences again or even a dinning room in case of time crunch. And while it will be comfortable for all of the above, in the right hands it will be quick and also agile to get out of tricky situations.

At starting price of Rs 8.9 crore onwards (ex-Delhi) the S-Guard is not cheap and neither is it a replacement for conventional security like armed body guards, convoy and in many cases even state surveillance and military personnel. The S-Guard is a moving high security office providing the best possible safety to the occupants from ambush.

While I am certainly not the right person to gauge the value and need of such a vehicle, one thing that all of us can be sure about is that life is priceless. And when you look at it from that perspective then the price tag doesn’t seem too big!