Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Armoured Hyundai features at Moscow show


Armoured limousines are no rarity in Russia, where oligarchs, politicians and - if possible - even shadier characters - have a mind on keeping luxuriously safe from critics.

That usually means the country’s leading security vehicle builders, Armortech, are stretching and strengthening BMWs, Audis and even a Bentley Mulsanne.

However for the Moscow motor show, Armortech’s star will be a bullet-proof Hyundai Equus sedan, stretched to 5.5m and beefed up with an extra 1.4 tonnes of protection and equipment to tip the scales at a whopping 3.5 tonnes.

The Equus, which is not sold here, is already on the market as a limousine in Asia, but the Russian treatment takes it to a much tougher level. Dubbed the Hyundai Equus Limousine Security, the car has been engineered to a VR7 rating of ballistic protection against heavy-calibre ammunition and explosives.

Special attention has been given to weaknesses such as door gaps - where a blast-resistant material overlaps the doors under the skin – and reinforcing door hinges, fuel tank and engine bay.

If the car is attacked, passengers can resort to a high-tech communications system to call for back-up, and air filters, fire-suppressants and an extra battery for power while they wait for the cavalry to arrive. And waiting is probably the wisest option, as a fast getaway seems unlikely with the weighty armoured Equus still relying on the standard 5.0-litre V8 engine that powers the normal car.