Official: Audi reveals new beefed-up A8 L Security

Filed under: Sedan, Audi, Specialty, Luxury

Audi claims is the lightest armored vehicle of its kind.

If there were ever a sedan that deserved the descriptor of “luxury,” surely it’s the Audi A8. Particularly in long-wheelbase form. But for many of Audi’s wealthy customers around the world – namely those in developing markets – there can be no greater luxury than security. And for just those customers, Audi has announced the new A8 L Security.

The armored limousine is based on and visually almost indistinguishable from the standard production A8 L, which Audi says it developed its flagship sedan from the get-go to accommodate the added security features. Those include heat-formed steel plating, aramide fabric, ceramic, and multi-laminated glass. The components take 450 hours to install by specialized technicians before the vehicle is sent back to the plant for final assembly, and what results is what Audi claims is the lightest armored vehicle of its kind.

It’s certified by the German Ballistics Testing Center in Munich to meet the VR 7 ballistic protection standards for high-security sedans, meaning that it can withstand a barrage of NATO sub-caliber ammunition. In certain areas it even meets the stricter VR 9 and VR 10 standards, and was tested to withstand explosive charges in accordance with Explosion Resistance Vehicle (ERV) 2010 guidelines. Buyers can even opt for a patented emergency exit system that blows the hinges on the doors, a fire-suppression system, emergency fresh-air system and more.

All of that comes without sacrificing the comfort features you’d expect of an extended-wheelbase flagship luxury sedan, but the (undisclosed) added weight will, of course, significantly hamper performance. With a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 435 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, the standard A8 L Security takes 7.5 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour from a standstill (instead of 4.5 seconds in the unarmored A8 with the same engine), while the 6.3-liter W12 will push it to 62 in 7.1 seconds. That extra weight may keep the A8 L Security from escaping a dangerous situation in a hurry, but driver and occupant will at least be kept safe while it does.

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Audi reveals new beefed-up A8 L Security originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jan 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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