You can hide, but you cant run...

A private ceremony was held at the Viminale Palace where Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. donated a police version of the company’s newest super sports car, Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, to the head of the Italian State Police, Prefect Antonio Manganelli.



The new Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, which replaces the previous Gallardo in use by the Italian police force since 2004 has a 560 horsepower engine that can reach speeds of up to 326 Km/h. The car will begin service with the Lazio Highway Police Department in order to continue accident and crime prevention to sustain security on the Italian roads.



In addition to the clearly effective deterrent offered by the presence and visibility of a Lamborghini on the highway, the technological equipment on board these vehicles makes them highly effective in the control of hazardous behaviour on the roads (high speeds, driving in the emergency lane, dangerous over-taking); the automatic recognition of number plate tracking and real-time transmission of images to the control rooms.




The cabin of the super sports car is fitted with the latest advancements in police technology to immediately document the evidence of any transgression. The video system is positioned in the center of the cabin with a camera fitted next to the rear view mirror and a computer and recording equipment behind the seats. As soon as police officers discover a suspicious driver, they activate the ''Proof Video Data System.'' With the help of GPS data, the device can calculate the location, direction of movement and speed of the Lamborghini. This combined with the distance and time before intercept, accurately determines the speed of the vehicle being pursued.

Using radio data transmission, the video system in the Gallardo Polizia transfers its images in real time to the relevant police station. There, the videos are stored and used for automatic number plate retrieval. This information can be used for immediate identification of stolen vehicles.




In addition to its high tech equipment, the Gallardo is also fitted with the ''classic'' array of police equipment, such as a gun holster, police radio equipment and the ''Paletta,'' the traditional hand-held stop sign used to advise motorists and traffic offenders to pull over. Officers can then use a removable screen to show offenders their misdeeds immediately, complete with an overlay of all the associated data.




The Lamborghini is used regularly for urgent medical transportation too. Lamborghini's have never had loads of luggage space, howerver , the luggage compartment in the front of the vehicle is equipped with a specialized refrigeration system for safe transportation of donor organs. For extreme emergencies, there is also a tiny defibrillator stored in the car.



Only officers from traffic departments Special Operations Team, made up of arguably the luckiest police officers in the world, are permitted to drive the Gallardo. Each person on the team – which includes three women – has undertaken driver training with Lamborghini, under the leadership of the Lamborghini test drivers. They also receive special training in the use of the Gallardo’s medical equipment.



The Lamborghini wears its uniform with pride, painted in accordance with requirements in ''blu Polizia'' – whereby the white stripes and lettering follow the Gallardo’s dynamic design angles. Its main patrol beat be central and southern Italy, primarily on the motorway between Salerno and Reggio Calabria.



The police beacon on the roof of the Gallardo had to be aerodynamically optimized being that the new police car reaches a considerably higher top speed than regular service vehicles.. Despite the extremely flat construction of the signal lighting, blue LEDs are fitted round the base to ensure the visual signal cannot be missed. The roof-mounted lighting is supported by further blue LED signals on the front, sides and rear of the light’s aluminium shell.




Alongside its daily operational duties, the Gallardo also has regular public appearance obligations, such as its role as parade leader every year in Rome’s traditional ''Festa di Polizia,'' or its escort responsibilities at events with historical vehicles, like the Targa Florio and the Milan – San Remo Rally. Its predecessor even represented the Italian police in New York City at the 2005 ''Columbus Day'' parade.

This is a truly remarkable piece of police equipment, its no wonder the Italian police force is among the best motivated in the world.

Fact Check

I've been very lazy when it comes to this blog. I cant help it, my new job is eating up all my time, plus they're strongly against unlimited internet access.


My love for cars stays strong, but rarely does it intersect with politics. Like almost every Kenyan right now I'm an armchair political analyst, so you can imagine the look on my face when The Standard wrote an article about what they think our Prime Minister Designate will be driving soon.


Now their speculation has been horribly wrong in the past (Ksh 40 Million Hummer H2) and the Government was uncharacteristically swift with its response so there may be some fire behind all the smoke.


Just in case they're right this time, here are the facts




The S-Guard is Merc's armoured S-Class, built from the ground up to protect world leaders - 90 governments worldwide use an S-Guard - and those who need defending from criminals and terrorists, while also whisking them around in supreme comfort.

Demand for special-protection vehicles is rising and is currently especially high in Latin America, Africa and Southern Europe, where most buyers opt for High-Protection vehicles that will withstand bullets from handguns up to the .44 Magnum. In Central Europe and the former Soviet states, however, Highest-Protection Guard models are more the norm, where they have to defend against military-grade rifles and high-velocity ammo. Then there's also demand from, surprisingly, Kenya.

The S-Guard is produced on a dedicated production line at Mercedes's factory in Sindelfingen, so, rather than retrofitting the protective elements in the doors, rear wall, side panels, roof lining and firewall etc of a finished vehicle, they are fully integrated into the bodyshell as the car is built. All the body-structure reinforcements, required due to the extra weight of the protective elements, can therefore be incorporated right from the start.

This means that all a car's potential weak spots - gaps in the body, at the doors or at the joins between metal and glass sections - are fully protected from attack, this overlapping system preventing bullets from getting through to the inside of the car. In fact, there are 250 points around the car that are tested ballistically, all of which are carried out with dummies inside.



The integration of the special protection elements also means that the body structure is reinforced, instead of having extra strain exerted on it by the additional weight. The necessary body-structure reinforcements, such as chassis suspension units or sturdier door hinges and window frames, can also be integrated right from the start.

So the reinforced steel plating and polycarbonate windows added to the shell of an S-Class not only make it a much more impenetrable proposition, but also a considerably heavier one, weighing in at 4,200kg. The doors themselves are 130kg each.

But how good is all this protection, really? Well the S-Guard is built to a standard called B6/B7, which means that the armour is designed to resist military-standard small-arms projectiles (including armour-piercing bullets), which have a velocity almost twice that of bullets fired from a revolver. It also offers protection against fragments from hand grenades and explosive charges.



Of course, it's all very well talking about all the protection the car offers, but what about ensuring that all the vehicles have the right materials to keep their principals intact? That's where DaimlerChrysler's resident sniper comes in.



Deep in the bowels of one of Sindelfingen's many buildings is the company's ballistic laboratory, home to a man with a large rifle, who spends his day shooting at random samples of the steel plates and polycarbonate glass fitted to the S-Guard. This process means that every batch of materials used is rigorously tested to ensure that every S-Guard that goes out can do its job if pressed into service.

Watching the sniper shooting at chunks of steel and polycarbonate-layered glass, it's possible to see how the materials used in building the S-Guard actually work. The energy of the bullet - which travels at a speed of 830 metres per second - is absorbed by the glass or steel and transferred back to the projectile, causing it to fragment. After shooting the glass, it's possible to see tiny bits of metal that previously made up the bullet in the layers.




When used against the steel, the fragments are scattered all around, with the steel left with no deformation to its structure, just a mark where the bullet struck.




All the extra protection means that the fully enclosed passenger cell is highly secure, safe and comfortable. However, it's not just the materials used in the car that keep the passengers safe: there's all the usual electronic control systems such as ESP, ABS, etc (although modified to take the extra weight into consideration) that ensure the S-Class's driving dynamics are maintained. Plus it comes fitted with S-Class safety features such as Pre-Safe brakes and Brake Assist.



There are also numerous additional features to make riding in the S-Guard safer than playing on a bouncy castle while dressed in an American football uniform. There's a reversing camera to monitor the rear of the car; run-flat tyres; a self-sealing fuel tank that uses the same material as military helicopters; a fire-extinguishing system; an emergency fresh-air system that counteracts dangerous gaseous substances; a pneumatic emergency control system for the power windows that operates independently of the on-board electronics; an emergency boot-opening facility that allows occupants to free themselves from the boot of the car using a switch on the inside of the boot lid (handy if you've been kidnapped in your own car); infrared lights and camera; and a Panic Alarm System that can be activated from anywhere in the vehicle, locking the doors to create a protected zone and alerting the outside world by means of visual and audible alarm signals, plus an intercom.



Perhaps the most cunning thing of all about the S-Guard though, is the fact that you can't tell the difference between it and a standard S-Class. From the outside, there is absolutely nothing to indicate that the car is in any way special.




The layers of ballistic glass that form the windows are held together with a sealant that has the same refractive properties of the glass it bonds. The result? Rays of light passing through the glass don't bend, they go straight through, so you don't get that "Bank Teller" look.

When you get behind the wheel, however, and start driving, it soon becomes apparent that you are, in fact, driving a tank. Starting up the engine and driving in straight line is fine: the S-Guard is equipped with the S 600 biturbo V12 engine, which generates 509bhp and 612lb-ft of torque, so there's plenty of power on tap to pull the car along.



However, when you start throwing it around a handling course, you realise that you have to start rethinking your concept of braking. You're steering a 4,200kg car - and that's a lot of weight to try to stop when you need to. The inertia generated by such as weight means that if you try braking where you normally would when approaching a corner, you find yourself running out of road, an act accompanied by tyre-squealing reminiscent of an airliner touching down. Despite the agility that exists in the car's S-Class DNA, brake too late and you find yourself doing some wrestling with the wheel.

After a few minutes, though, you begin to get the hang of the car and can start cornering with speed and precision, while still managing to make the car squeal like a pig.



Moving a four-tonne car through a series of cones at 50mph is no picnic at the best of times: so you'd think that doing it with a flat tyre would be verging on insanity. Not in the S-Guard. The Michelin PAX run-flats mean that you can still manage to steer the car through all the gaps as if on the usual complement of four fully inflated wheels, the car responding to steering inputs with barely discernable difference. Very impressive.

So if you've ever been careless enough to incur a fatwa, have to drive through Colombia while directing the war on drugs, or are just unfortunate enough to have so much money that you and your family a target for kidnappers, you should seriously consider an S-Guard. You'll be able to relax for two reasons: first, the peace of mind in knowing that you're virtually impregnable while in your car; plus you'll be sitting in a car seat that can give you a massage which will make all your cares just melt away.

All Images Courtesy of www.channel4.com. All rights reserved

2007 Total Kenya Motorshow

This is an account of the action on the First day of the Total Kenya motor show, which ran from the 7^th to the 9^th of September 2007

The theme of this years Show was “Closer to the Customer”, in this respect, the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI) and Total did not disappoint.

The Show was held at the Ngong Racecourse, and according to Event Chairman Claude Mwende, ”The show has been successfully staged for many years at the KICC in the City Centre, but it is getting bigger and bigger every year and now it needs more space for and even wider range of displays and a new level of action”.

When the man says action he knows what he’s talking about, The Rhino Charge competitors brought a small piece of their action onto a purpose built off-road arena, which also doubled as a demonstration area for Earth moving equipment.

At any point in time, a bulldozer piling earth into a huge mound could stop for a moment and a member of the FourX Extreme 4WD Team, bored by the construction site simulation, would drive right over the mound on his way to the forested section for a display of off road madness.

All this while you waited for a display of defensive driving and motor vehicle stunts performed by graduates of the Glen Edmunds Performance Driving school, if you didn’t like the real stunts, Nyanza Petroleum was ready and willing to show you Uma Thurman playing with a Pirelli P-Zero wheeled Lamborghini in the Mini Theatre at its stand, that is of course if the Helicopter displays didn’t drown out the sound.

It was difficult to look to the sky with the H3 Hummer and the Renault Formula1 race car planted firmly on the ground, as well as the stunning AmbiPur Car Perfume girls who mingled freely with show goers, mingled as freely, I might add, as their Hot-Pants and Mini Skirts would allow.

If you could spare a moment to glance skywards, Gyrocopter pilots with freshly minted Pilots licenses may have led you to worry, but the Pitt Special Aircraft , piloted by a man just one step away from the highest aerobatic qualification in the world (according to KMI) would have your jaw dropping for a reason your significant other would approve of.

Now if you are the kind of guy who buys a Ksh 9 Million Jeep Commander on sight, you could be invited to the 9 Hole Golf Course smack dab in the middle if the racecourse, lesser mortals had to contend with the Hole-in-one Charity shootout .

The KMI and Total Kenya, ever mindful of the environment, had a tree planting campaign open to all, Total has a strong Environmental Conservation record and this is an effort that deserves much praise.

Now, with the gas guzzling H3 on display, GM suddenly went on a vegetarian diet with its sponsorship of a NGO engaged in the production of Bio-Diesel. Their intention is to grow or recycle enough vegetable oil to power farm equipment and perhaps blend Bio-Diesel with mineral diesel to fulfill emissions standards set by the Kenya Police which are still under discussion.

This is to be done in conjunction with local communities, although many a well heeled showgoer was heard saying things like “my farm”, “extra land” and “commercial viability” with dollar signs in their eyes.

Speaking of dollar signs, the banking sector with its aggressive sales campaigns could not miss this for the world. Their stands invited all and sundry, from those willing to finance the purchase of the Chinese vehicles on show to those buying fleets of Lorries and Randon trailers.

The bank staff were courteous and kind but the prize for the most courteous staff in my opinion went to the Subaru stand, which was showcasing the new B9 Tribeca. The usual losers in this category, Mashariki Motors were not in attendance on Friday.

The Subaru B9 Tribeca retailing for Ksh 6 Million, it features a 3.0 Litre Horizontally Opposed 6 Cylinder “Boxer” engine with an output of 245PS at 6600rpm, consuming 12.3 lit. /100Km

Standard features include 7 inch centre display; dashboard mounted 6CD changer with full MP3 Compatibility, with an Auxiliary jack for iPods and other MP3 players inside the centre armrest, away from prying eyes

Dual Zone Air Conditioning, a ProDrive ™ Sportshift gearbox and 16 Airbags are also standard; I must say at this point I got all this information from the pretty girls at the stand, a welcome change from last year when all they knew was that Subarus are fast and they sound really good

The DT Dobie Stand

featured a Renault F1 car



The Nissan Patrol Pickup



The Nissan Navara was also highlighted



The recently launched C-Class was also on display


Self Portrait in C200



In both trims
Yours for only EUR66500


The E200 Kompressor looking good with the latest facelift



The EUR 77300 GL 320 CDI



Badge Delete was clearly not an option





The Official DaimlerChrysler dealers have the German part in check, heres the American Element

The 300C

You can get this 3.5L V6 powered piece of Detroit for EUR 77000



The Jeep Brand had to be there, with its cousin the Hummer round the corner and all



This is the imposing 7 seater Jeep Commander 3.0L TurboDiesel , all EUR 92500 of it



The weird looking Nissan with the weird name was also here, It was the only car at DT Dobie with a price tag in KSH, 2.23Million



Elsewhere, does this man look like he's cleaning a Nissan Hardbody?





Actually, its a Foton 1 tonne Pick-Up from China, Powered by, get this, a Great Wall Engine




Yours for Ksh 1.8 Million

Other cars in this price range could be seen at the Marshalls stand

The Kia Rio is a pretty little thing with a 1.4L engine

Yours for Ksh 1.5 Million



The Peugeot 407 was in attendance



as well as the 207


thats an indicator under the side view mirror



At Simba Colt, theMitsubishi Dealers unleashed their entry into the popular Double cabin Market, the L200 Sportage



The Ksh 3.9 Million Evolution IX crouching


The New Pajero was here, Ksh 5.3 Million for the 3.2L version


A blast from the past from Simba Colt, for Ksh 2.8 Million

GM had 2 stands at the show, one featured trucks and the Isuzu D-Max with an interesting cover for the load bed for the double cabin

The other featured the newly introduced Hummer H3 which was one of the major attractions at the show

The 3.7L V6 power plant

Interior

The main selling point were its unique looks and all the attention you would likely receive driving one

Interior

In my view for Ksh 6Million you should get a lot more, if you wanted to attract attention driving down any road in Kenya here are some other 4WD vehicles you can do that with.

Riding on 38s should attract all the attention you need

But, they must have made an amazing impression. The Kenya Army now owns 41 examples of the military version, the Humvee, generously donated by the American Government.

The GM stand also featured a Cadillac SRX4 which they plan to introduce to the market based on interest generated at the motor show.

I must applaud GM for this, the only other people who used the show to determine which models they should introduce were Simba Colt with the L200 and DT Dobie with the Navara

However, Cadillac is a premium brand. It’s the Rolls- Royce of America. Captains of American Industry, Billionaire Entrepreneurs and Top US Government Officials hit the road in a Cadillac. In fact, the President of the United States is ferried about in a Cadillac DTS Limousine

For GM to imagine a Station Wagon is an adequate ambassador of the Cadillac brand was in my view downright irresponsible.

A SL500 parked outside Panari Sky Hotel

Sales of small planes in Kenya are at an all time high. On a bad day on Waiyaki way, one may encounter a Mercedes Benz E500, (i.e. an E-Class somebody bought with S-Class money), a BMW 750iL, one of two SL55 AMGs (Which by the way, have a two year waiting list) among many other luxury cars.

The market for premium brands is well developed, GM could have done better

Toyota Kenya

The showpiece of the Toyota Stand was the Camry

Which borrows some styling cues from the Lexus LFC Concept

Also in attendance was the Toyota Avensis

The Toyota landcruiser 75 series, that favorite of Somali Warlords, received a facelift

And is now called the 76

The current landcruiser also made an appearance

So did its baby brother, the Prado

The recently launched Fortuner was also around

Good old fashioned rally cars also made an appearance

All in all, the motor show was an exciting experience, cant wait for next year!

Bentley Continental GT Speed

Bentley gets more power

Bentley has released a new, more powerful GT Speed version. As befits its name, this is the fastest Bentley ever. It gets a nice round 600bhp, along with 553lb ft to shift its substantial girth. It's enough to send the Bentley from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds (4.6 for the regular Conti GT) and 0-100mph in 10.3sec. All that torque is put down by the four-wheel drive system, and the ESP stability control has been recalibrated to allow a little more slip for standing starts.

Theincreased use of aluminium in the suspension and revised steering are claimed to improve steering feel. Just don’t bet on it matching sports cars half its weight.

The new Bentley GT "Speed"coupe gets a wider and lower air intake, with a more upright radiator grille, which is the most obvious change. This feeds the unique twin-turbocharged W12 engine which has a new crankcase, camshafts, catalysts and exhausts. Combine this with a new ECU and you get a cut from 410 to 396g/km. Still enough to scare Greenpeace silly, though. But there’s no change in output for the regular car, with 552bhp and 479lb ft. Ample, as they say.


The baby Bentley has 405mm discs at the front – which Bentley claim are the largest on any production car – and 335mm discs at the back. Carbon discs are an option, at £10k, and save 20kg of unsprung mass. The standard Continental GT also gets a distinctive ‘B’ brake pedal




Despite the fact that the GT Speed’s name was apparently inspired by the racers of the 1920s, the road car will be very luxurious. It comes as standard with a Mulliner Driving interior with numerous exclusive trims and quilted-style seat options, plus drilled alloy pedals.



Prices have gone up. The regular Continental GT costs an extra £3k, so you’ll now need £120,500 to become a Bentley owner. Another £17k will get you a GT Speed, and you can order both from today.


How to spot the Speed? The grille is a darker tint than regular Contis, while the tailpipes are larger than normal. And despite having 20-inch wheels (19in on the standard car), air suspension is there to smoothe the ride; the GT Speed’s ride height is 10mm lower at the front, and 15mm at the back.

Theres a new Paj

Comprehensive article coming soon

GT Aye yai yai!!!!!

VW GTi W12

Some Crazy engineers at VW are tired of the fact that everyone seems to have forgotten that it was VW with its Golf GTI that started this Hot Hatchback business,

So while their serious counterparts at Audi were unveiling the TT speedster they showed off this monster at the renowned Wörthersee Tour, an Austrian celebration of hot-hatch madness

This particular expression of Teutonic might is powered by the VW Phaeton's 6.0-litre W12. mounted in the MIDDLE, behind the driver.


Yes, this is the maddest Golf you'll ever see. This particular Twin Turbo W12 puts out 641bhp and 553lb ft of torque, driving the rear wheels only

It's enough for a 3.7 second sprint to 62mph(100Km/H) and a top speed of 184mph(325 km/h) if you keep those custom made "Detroit" 19-inch wheels spinning long enough.

"Our greatest challenge'', says Klaus Bischoff, Director of Volkswagen Design, ''was to provide the six-liter mid-engine with sufficient air, without significantly changing how the GTi looked in comparison to the 'civilian' version. In addition, provisions had to be made for sufficient downforce at the rear axle on such a fast type of car. But for aesthetic reasons we did not want to put an enormous rear spoiler on the car.'' In both cases a trick helped.

To deal with air intake the design team simply made the rear windows turn inward. This created two ducts between the windows and the C pillars, on the left and right, through which air flows for engine cooling. The rest of the cooling air comes from the front via the gigantic radiators and the ducts connected to them, as well as on the sides via air inlets on the side skirts.

To create downforce on the rear wheels without a WRX type spoiler, they designed the roof as part of an enormous diffuser that supplies sufficient downforce.

You see a spoiler is actually a wing, it works just like a normal aircraft wing and manipulates the air flowing around it to create lift, which is what allows a plane to take off, turn it upside-down and the force pushes the object attached to the wing down instead of up, thus creating downforce. A car spoiler is just a wing turned upside-down, but most of the little pieces of metal added to boots are just for show, F1 and other High-Speed motorsports are where spoilers are really used


The roof of the GTi is made of carbon-fiber and it directs the air over and under the small rear spoiler in a way that allows it to achieve sufficient downforce without it being too big


Don't go expecting any Golf W12 on sale, though. This was strictly a one-off

Total Kenya Motorshow 2007

Sources indicate that after a 1 year hiatus, the Total Motorshow will be held in September at the Nairobi Racecourse Grounds.

I will provide further details later.

Some of the Cars expected to be launched into the Kenyan Market at the show include

• The Range Rover Sport's Supercharged and TDV8 Models and the new Freelander (CMC Motors),
  
• The Hummer H3 (GMEA)
• The Renault Laguna, and the New C-Class Mercedes Benz, (DT Dobie)
• The BMW 6-Series (Mashariki Motors)
  

BMW Concept CS

This is the very latest offering from Munich's design studios - and it points to a bold new design

The landmark Concept CS show car is a luxury four-door GT primed to kickstart a new look for future BMWs.

BMWs of late have had controversial styling, much to the distaste of many. But there's not even a hint of the awkward angles of the current 7-series' ass or the lumpy, Mitsubishi Carisma-like rear of the 3-series here. The CS has a crisp, fresh look.



This four-seater coupe looks attractive, particularly next to the current BMW range. The angled, shark-nose grille is striking That's true. But I think the lights kinda looks like that "dodgy " Charger




It really is monumentally different. The language of the body and the lines are so much smoother. The classic kidney grille has ballooned to huge proportions; BMW claims this is to ensure of a plentiful supply of cold air to the engine, and is not simply a styling gimmick.




The arches wrap around the 21-inch, multi-spoke alloys. The designers say that future Biemers will have much attention paid to integrated arches, rather than the brashly flared items on some rival designs (e.g. current Fords).




The Concept CS is BMW's contribution to the Shanghai Motor Show, which is currently in full swing in the far east. This is in line with most Manufacturers recent focus on the Chinese Car market

Adrian von Hooydonk, the mdosi of BMW's design house, told CAR Online at the show that the shark-nose look of the Concept CS is something that customers can relate to from BMWs of old. He hinted that it would spread to future production cars.




The interior will be as sleek and slinky as the exterior of the car. Front passengers will be firmly tucked in to the curvy sports seats and surrounded by a high centre console, while BMW has paid much attention to raising the previously dour ambience of their dark interiors.

Clever surface treatments, different kinds of leather and double-dial pods all add to the fresher, more exciting cabin. BMW is making great play over the joints of the dashboard, hiding air vents and lights in the gaps between panels.


It's a hefty beast, too. At 5.1 metres long, it's longer even than the 7-series, as well as wider and sporting a longer wheelbase. So there's plenty of space for the four passengers.



The show car runs a V10 from the M5 and M6, although this car runs on a bespoke platform. Packing 500BHP will guarantee the CS goes as fast as it looks.

Production versions could use a variety of six-, eight- and 10-cylinder engines, were such a car to be commissioned. It's still too early to say if BMW will actually build this car ,there's not been any BMW like it before, but it is certainly considering a rival to the Porsche Panamera which I've mentioned in an earlier post ,the CLS ,the Bentley Flying Spur and the Aston Rapide which was given a greenlight for production by Astons new owners.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Concept CS was a coupe by the lack of rear door handles. However, take a closer look and you may discover a distinct lack of front door handles as well. In an attempt to maintain the clean lines of the car BMW, has located the door handles on the sill in between the window and the body of the door.




So like the rivals I mentioned, it is a four-door saloon. There are only two rear seats but each one is separate, unlike the traditional bench approach, so you can bank on it being just as comfortable for the rear passengers as it is for those in the front.

Adapted from an article done for CAR Magazine by Jack Carfrae.
All images are from CAROnline All rights reserved

Mercedes Benz S-Guard Pullman

Mercedes-Benz engineers are currently developing a new, prestigious luxury limousine with integrated highest protection for governments, businesses, monarchs and heads of state. The armoured Pullman Limousine is based on the long version of the S 600 with a substantially extended wheelbase length. The Mercedes-Benz State Limousine therefore provides a level of roominess worthy of its high-ranking occupants, not to mention outstanding comfort and a fully equipped mobile office. The S 600 Guard Pullman sees the world's oldest car manufacturer continuing its long tradition of building large state carriages with factory-integrated special-protection features.

Tradition and innovation are part of Mercedes-Benz' corporate culture. Nowhere is this more evident than in the construction of large, armoured, prestigious limousines. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer is the only carmaker that develops and builds impressive Pullman limousines with special protection, primarily for the official engagements of heads of state and monarchs. And it has been doing so for some eight decades without interruption.

Originally, Pullman cars were railroad sleeping cars with luxurious appointments, produced by the American Pullman Palace Car Company; however, it was not long before the name ''Pullman'' also came to describe Mercedes-Benz cars with an extra-long wheelbase and an extremely large passenger compartment in the rear. Separated from the front compartment by a partition, the rear compartment housed four individual face-to-face seats, allowing four passengers to sit opposite each other in truly grand style.

The very first Mercedes-Benz car to be factory-fitted with special protection, in 1928, was a long Pullman version of the W 08/460 Nürburg model. This was followed first by the 770 K, which provided protection befitting the status of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito among others, and then by further Pullman Limousines. Eventually, the legendary Mercedes-Benz 600 assumed the mantle of state carriage, holding it for almost thirty years. As well as being used by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany for official business it was the preferred vehicle of governments from numerous other countries and many prominent dynasties. Further Pullman versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard featuring special protection followed in these illustrious footsteps.

Governments, heads of state and royalty all over the world have always appreciated Mercedes-Benz' vast experience and pioneering technical achievements in the construction of prestigious limousines featuring special protection. The luxury limousine not only provides all the communications and entertainment equipment they need, it also offers them space for discreet meetings. So they have everything perfectly under control, whatever the situation, with the added bonus of highly comfortable, individually styled surroundings.

In terms of technology, the new Pullman Limousine is based on the flagship Mercedes Benz S 600 L Guard model. Power comes courtesy of a smooth twelve-cylinder biturbo engine with a displacement of 5513 cc, an output of 380kW/517 hp and an impressive peak torque of 830 Nm. Both the chassis and the body are new developments, since simply adding on an extension would not have ensured the required overall stability, given the extra-long wheelbase. These new developments also provide the solid design basis for the installation of the heavy special-protection components. In addition, the new State Limousine features a rear entrance with increased headroom. Behind the partition, there is space for four passengers in the rear compartment with luxurious face-to-face seats in the time-honoured Pullman tradition.

The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman also offers its discerning passengers the highest possible degree of protection against terrorist attacks. The Highest Protection specified for this car is equivalent to resistance level B6/B7, as tested and certified by state-approved organisations. Plus it meets further requirements that are not even stipulated by any standard, as tested by public and independent organisations. Its armour resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and provides protection against fragments from hand grenades and other explosive devices. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, a self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.

In order to achieve the highest possible degree of protection, specialists with many years of experience in security technology equip the Pullman Limousine in Sindelfingen, 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. Hence the body structure is further reinforced. The resulting vehicles offer hallmark Mercedes-Benz build quality combined with comprehensive Highest Protection, including in those areas where retrofits would be all but impossible. The basis for this is long-standing, continuous and close cooperation with nationally and internationally recognised security authorities. Over a period of decades, this collaboration has ensured that the production and development expertise of the Mercedes specialists has continued to grow. Their vast experience in the fields of protection technology and ballistics enables them to react to changing requirements in the most effective way possible.

Thanks to seamless integration of the special-protection features, the paint quality and corrosion protection match the high standards of conventional Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Furthermore, the Pullman Limousines can be serviced at any Mercedes-Benz service outlet world-wide – a key aspect of the comprehensive, uncomplicated high-level service concept. It goes without saying that every new Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman will display its own unique brand of styling thanks to an extensive range of appointments options including a choice of paint finishes, leathers and woods. Even the most unusual of customer requests can be met.

The first editions of the new Mercedes-Benz State Limousine are due to be delivered in late 2008.

Four Door Porsche

I'm not talking bout the Cayenne!!

CAR Online has snared the best spy photos yet of Porsche's new four-seater, the Panamera. Think of it as a four-door version of the 928 - a four-seater GT to bridge the gap between the hard-core 911 sports car range and the Cayenne 4x4.

We won't see the Panamera in showrooms before 2009, with prices stretching from £54,000-£84,000.

The Panamera uses a variety of different components plucked from across Porsche's product portfolio. They needed the strongest suspension and brakes around so they borrowed them from the Cayenne SUV. They needed a lightweight, sports car chassis so they used parts of the 911 Turbo

It'll be front-engined and rear-drive, at first at any rate; there's some talk of a four-wheel drive version in the pipeline. Porsche hopes to build 20,000 a year at first


The Panamera is Porsche's answer to the CLS; a geniune four-seater set in the GT mould. The front-engine packaging and long wheelbase are designed to free up lots of cabin room for the four deep-set passenger seats, while the hatchbacked boot will top 475 litres (more with the rear seats folded).

Don't think this Porsche will be a soft comfort-oriented four-door, though. Much of the body will be made from lightweight aluminium and engineers have told CAR Online that the weight will fall around 1800kg. With direct-injection V8 power and up to 500bhp, it's not going to be slow.