You expect a Mercedes to be loaded with luxury. But in many developing countries, the greatest luxury is security. So for just such markets, Mercedes offers its Guard range. Essentially beefed-up versions of its existing models, the Guard treatment can be applied to the E-Class, S-Class, G-Class and now on the M-Class SUV as well. The new M-Guard upgrades on the standard model with such features as armored body panels, reinforced locks, polycarbonate laminated windows and steel-reinforced roof pillars.
As a result of the modifications – and testing with Magnus .357 and .44 caliber firearms and DM51 hand grenades – the M-Guard has earned VR4 certification in accordance with the Bullet Resistance Vehicles (BRV) 2009 standards. The suspension has subsequently been upgraded with new axles and torsion bars to deal with the added weight, and mounted to 20-inch AMG alloys with run-flat tires. Buyers can choose between the ML350 BlueTec Guard for €105,050 or the ML500 Guard for €118,650 in Germany. Even with over 6,000 lbs to motivate, the ML500 Guard will still hustle to 62 mph from a standstill in 6.5 seconds.