New-generation E-Class gets factory 'high protection'

"Thanks to the factory integrated protective features, new E 500 and E350 versions provide protection against day-to-day criminality while ensuring a quality of security which is not achievable with retrofitted armouring,"

said Mario von Glahn, Regional Sales Manager, Guard, Middle East.

With the new-generation E-Guard models, Mercedes-Benz continues almost 80 years of tradition in the production of armoured passenger cars with special protection.

This integrated protection is incorporated on a high-security production line, where experienced specialists build each vehicle from the ground up. Specifically this means that the doors, rear wall, sides, roof and firewall of the passenger cell are fitted with effective protective components of steel and aramid - including areas which are no longer accessible on a finished vehicle.

In addition, the basic structure of the vehicle body is reinforced to account for the greater weight. This ensures that in all respects, the E-Guard models exhibit the same, typical Mercedes quality as all the standard production models.

In normal road traffic the new-generation E-Guard models are incognito, for there is no external indication that their protective cell is able to stop bullets right up to the mighty .44 Magnum, and has, therefore, been officially certificated to meet the stringent requirements of protection category B4.

The new E-Guard models, available in Avantgarde versions only, substantially retain their generous interior spaciousness, a high level of ride comfort and the excellent handling characteristics of the standard Mercedes-Benz E-Class.