Armoured limos are so dreadfully flashy, aren’t they? Watch any world leader in their armoured transport and it’s likely to be something premium – the Mercedes S-Class is a favourite worldwide.
But a blacked-out Mercedes is rather an obvious choice, so Skoda has identified a gap in the market for those who want their tank-like transport to be a bit more discreet. Enter the armoured Skoda Superb.
#Skoda has developed a ballistic and bullet resistant car based on a standard #Superb #Estate 2.0 TDI 190PS. It follows a 3 year development from a British based team. OTR starting price of £118,688. Watch it in action here: https://t.co/OeQ029hNir #armoured #cars #TwitterCarClub pic.twitter.com/ou5G3jgGhg
— ŠKODA UK Media (@SKODAUK_Media) May 29, 2018
On the outside, the Superb looks entirely standard. It’s based on the estate model, decked out in a discreet grey and fitted with a pragmatic 2.0-litre, 187bhp diesel engine.
The sensible exterior belies the car’s capabilities, though. It’s been modified and reinforced to meet PAS 300 requirements for ballistic and blast protection and is totally bulletproof.
Suspension and braking has been uprated to cope with the extra weight, while the car rides on specially reinforced run-flat tyres. Passengers ride within a safety cell, and there’s also an emergency lighting and siren system if you feel the need to part surrounding traffic.
The armoured Superb has been developed by Skoda in conjunction with a UK-based converter. It will be available to order from standard Skoda dealers, but you’ll need to dig deep – prices start from £118,688. Compare that with a Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard, however, at £438,000, and things begin to look a bit more reasonable.
