Autoblog

We enjoy reporting on even the most removed niche vehicles on the market, but here's something that will only be of interest to drug lords living in the hillside jungles of South America, because few others would have use for an armored, stretched Range Rover (with the possible exception of the British royals).

This Range Rover has been stretched by 25 centimeters (about ten inches), primarily to the benefit of its rear seat occupants. The body panels and floor have been lined and plated in Kevlar, the same stuff police use in their bulletproof vests. Reinforced windows have been fitted that can even withstand volleys from automatic machine guns and sniper rifles. Match all that with an Explosafe rupture- and fire-proof fuel tank and the requisite run-flat tires, and you've got yourself a very swanky armored personnel carrier.

Since such a vehicle is likely to spend most of its life helping occupants evade capture by US drug enforcement agents, it's only fitting that it has been outfitted with all that gear by First Defense, an American personal security firm.

[Source: Sybarites]

Click on image for enlarged diagram

What's a moneyed Anglophile to do when his life has come in danger? The Mercedes S600 Guard offers a nice package, but a Benz is just so very cliché. Enter the Armoured Jaguar XJ Long Wheelbase, a bespoke motor of sublime elegance and protection for those who demand both in equal measure.

The pouncing cat has teamed up with independent security firm Centigon to build an armored luxury saloon that meets Jaguar standards of driving dynamics and luxury. The result is a Jaguar virtually indistinguishable from a stock XJ, but packing a host of anti-assassination goodies. The car comes complete with Kevlar body panel inserts, a titanium roof, even underbody armor plating. It's certified with a B6 level of ballistic protection, and capable of withstanding grenade blasts. The self-sealing fuel tank has an over-ride should the chauffer decide you need to move, fast. The car rides on Pirelli PZeros with the Roadguard run-flat system and a beefier suspension to handle the added weight. There's also a list of options including an independent oxygen supply, tamper-proof exhaust and alarm sirens.

The stock 4.2-liter V8 should be sufficient to remove the motor-carriage and its occupants from harms way in a hurry. Just what the doctor ordered for an afternoon drive through Belfast.

[Source: Jaguar]

The S600 Guard is the ultimate armored limousine, the choice of third-world dictators and dealers of all kinds of stuff. Because Mercedes builds their Guard series (E, G and S-Class models) on separate assembly lines from their conventional counterparts, the passive and active security measures are built in right from the start – though you wouldn't know from looking at one. The S600 Guard will defend its occupants against machine-gun fire, grenades and other explosives; it'll run on flat tires; it's got its own air supply in case of a gas attack; and in case of a fire, it's got its own fire-extinguishing system and self-sealing fuel tank.

Aston Martin may have the product placement agreement for the 007 movies, but no car on the road lives up to the standard like the S600 Guard. Don't take our word for it, watch the video for yourself. (Just don't mind the techno-trance.)

[Source: Motor Authority]

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UPDATE: Additional photos added after the jump

Celebrities, dignitaries, and the obsessively paranoid now have a new cocoon in which to wrap themselves as they travel from place to place. For them, the Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard melds V12 power and Mercedes' luxurious, quiet accommodations with the sense of security only an armored vehicle can provide.

Like the other Guard models (E and G-Class rides are also available) the S-Guard is built on its own assembly line, which lets Mercedes armor up the car as part of the original production process. As a result, they're able to build in the protective features better than any aftermarket program and still tune the car so that it doesn't lose much (if anything) in terms of handling and comfort. The 517-horsepower V12 underhood is more than capable of providing adequate thrust.

If the vehicle comes under threat, it's B6/B7 armor level is enough to stop standard military-grade small-arms fire (such as 7.62mm and 5.56mm rounds), protect against grenade shrapnel and offer protection against other explosive devices. Run-flat tires, a self-sealing fuel-tank, and an integrated fire-extinguishing system round out the Guard package. Despite all the reinforcements, the S600 Guard is visually indistinguishable from the garden-variety V12 S-Class.

(Photos, press release after the jump)

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

President Clinton will be the first U.S. president ever to use a hybrid outfitted for presidential service thanks to Ford, who will be presenting our 42nd president with a Mercury Mariner Hybrid "Presidential Edition" at the Clinton Global Initiative conference later this month in New York City. The Mariner Hybrid has been modified to include LED interior lighting, a 110-volt outlet and a writing table. Everything else on the vehicle, including the hybrid powertrain that delivers 32 mpg in the city, is supposedly stock.

We say supposedly because most presidential vehicles are heavily modified with armor and other technologies to thwart assassination attempts. The LED interior lighting installed in Clinton's Mariner Hybrid suggests the window glass is either heavily tinted for privacy or has been replaced with a transparent armor similar to the kind used on President Bush's armored Cadillac DTS limo that's so thick it blocks natural sunlight.

Speaking of presidential vehicles, did you know that the presidential motorcade is typically 35 cars long? A lot of gas could be saved by switching that fleet over to a next generation powertrain. Follow the jump to see what vehicles follow the president when he's out on the town and in what order.

[Source: Ford]