NEW DELHI, DEC 28
In the latest upgrade for Narendra Modi, the prime minister now has the Mercedes-Maybach S650 armoured vehicle as part of his convoy which can withstand blasts and bullets, a report said.
The earlier model in the convoy included Range Rover Vogue and Toyota Land Cruiser. PM Modi was recently seen in the new Maybach 650 armoured first at Hyderabad House when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin on his India visit.
Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard is the latest face-lifted model with VR10 level protection— the highest-ever provided in a production car. According to reports, Mercedes-Maybach launched the S600 Guard in India last year for Rs 10.5 crore and the S650 can cost more than Rs 12 crore.
Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard is powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that produces 516bhp and a peak torque of approximately 900Nm. The maximum speed is limited to 160kmph.
According to News18, the S650 Guard body and the windows can withstand hardened steel core bullets. It has received a 2010 Explosion Proof Vehicle (ERV) rating and occupants are protected from a 15kg TNT explosion from a distance of only 2 meters. The interior of the window is coated with polycarbonate and the vehicle’s lower part is heavily armoured to protect the occupants from direct explosions. The cabin also receives a separate air supply in case of a gas attack.
The fuel tank of the Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard is coated with a special material that seals the holes automatically after a hit. It is made up of the same material that Boeing uses for its AH-64 Apache tank attack helicopters. It also runs on special run-flat tires that continue to function in case of damage or flat tires to ensure a quick escape.
As the Gujarat chief minister, PM Modi travelled in a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio. After taking over as the Prime Minister in 2014, he used BMW 7 Series High-Security Edition.
Not surprisingly, the new limousine has already divided Twitter. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar tweeted about the news by taking a pun at Modi’s frequent references to himself being a fakeer (ascetic).
Sircar tweeted, “Rs 12 crore plus for PM’s car! Lakhs for Maybach sunglasses for new clothes every day. God! This fakeer will never leave these perks — even when defeated.”
Manickam Tagore, the Congress MP representing Virudhunagar in the Lok Sabha, referred to the Modi government’s purchase of two VVIP Boeing 777 jets and the construction of a new residence for the prime minister. Tagore tweeted on Tuesday, “8400 crore VVIP plane for PM Modi ..13450 crores PM house for Modi… Today 12 crore Mercedes Benz for Modi… Mazalo Sahib..#Modi.”
However, many Twitter users also welcomed the upgrade as befitting the head of government. Retired lieutenant general H.S. Panag tweeted, “As I always say our PM must get the best to enable the common citizen to rise and shine…”
Retired Indian Navy officer K.P. Sanjeev Kumar, who was a test pilot, referred to the need to replace the Mi-17V5 helicopter used to ferry VVIPs. The Mi-17’s safety record has been under scrutiny after a helicopter of the type crashed in Tamil Nadu earlier this month, killing 14 people including chief of defence staff general Bipin Rawat. Kumar tweeted, “Great. Now replace the souped-up Mi17V5 in Com Sqn with a credible VVIP helicopter.”
