Audi said the A8L Security meets the German government ballistics protection standards, with the sheet metal and glazing in the passenger cell able to "withstand firing from NATO hard-core ammunition" and the armoured floor "capable of withstanding an attack with a military hand grenade."
Audi’s spokesman noted that all security modifications "are performed by hand in a small, well-guarded workshop" before being sent down the final assembly line at Neckarsulm.
Manufacturer adds hundreds of pounds of ballistic-resistant materials, including hot-formed armoured steel, aramid fabric, ceramics, special alloyed aluminium and multilayer glass. The interior armouring alone weighs nearly 725 kilograms.
Among the security features accessible with the car: emergency exit system, fire extinguisher system, emergency fresh-air system, remote start and smoke extractor.
Audi hasn't ignored the services, which include four-zone climate control with air ionizer, electric rear blinds, Bose audio system with TV tuner, individual power rear seats and such options as a folding table, refrigerator and parking heater.
Despite the additional mass, the A8L Security's 6.3-liter W12 engine provides substantial muscle. Mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox and rated at 494 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, the big 12-cylinder unit enables 0-60 acceleration in less than 7.3 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 210 km/h "in consideration of the tires," according to automaker.a