We were recently afforded the opportunity to drive an armoured Mercedes-Benz G-Class from M5 Armour, a company that has been armour-plating vehicles for three decades! Here's what you need to know about it and our thoughts surrounding this 3.0-ton beast!
What is B6 armour?
M5 Armour offers both B4 and B6 builds, with B4 being resistant to handgun fire and the B6 armour fitted to our test car being able to withstand fire from an assault rifle, namely an AK47 Assault Rifle (7.62x39mm round), an R1 Rifle (7.62x51mm round) as well as an R4 Rifle (5.56x45mm round). To achieve this level of security, there are 16mm Aramid composite panels in the doors, 8mm ballistic steel covering the cabin, 37mm thick ballistic glass all around, including the sunroof, 8mm ballistic steel covering the battery, and strengthened door hinges to hold those heavier doors in place!
Some caveats were explained to us before we drove off in the model, which is the G400d, otherwise known as the sensible G-Wagon, if there is such a thing. The B6 armoured builds have upgraded suspension and brakes to handle the extra 600 or so kg added to the kerb weight. At the same time, the rear door windows cannot be opened, but the front window can be opened up to 200mm in B4 vehicles and 100mm in B6 models.
Styling
Keen observers will note the more reflective appearance of the thicker glass used, but upon first glance, nothing else alludes to this being an armoured G-Class. Our week spent with the car reminded us of just how popular the G-Wagon is, garnering admiring glances, thumbs up and waves from fellow motorists and pedestrians, cementing the boxy Merc's status as an icon of the automotive world and, indeed, a true expression of excess and status.
Related: Which Mercedes-Benz G-Class is better: diesel or petrol?
Interior and space
The interior looks and feels like an OEM G-Class; however, the heft of the doors is undoubtedly noticeable when opening and closing, while the signature thud when closing the door accompanied by the rifle-bolt-action-like sound when the car locks and unlocks is even more pronounced than we remember, perhaps because everything now feels even more industrial grade. The thicker windows are immediately noticeable, too, and we found them difficult to see out of during evening, early morning and late afternoon drives, due to the reflective nature of the glass.
When looking at practicality, the G400d offers 667-litres of boot space; however, this is no longer expandable to 1 941-litres as the area between the boot and the rear occupant quarters has been armour-plated. Since the gross vehicle weight has increased from 3 150kg to around 3 750kg, we would think that the braked towing capacity that is quoted as 3500kg might be affected by the additional weight and would not venture past 2 900kg when towing leaving the gross combination mass of 6 650kg intact.
Performance and driving impression
The G400d is powered by a 2.9-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 243kW and 700Nm of torque, which is sent to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic gearbox. Adding 600kg to the already hefty kerb weight of the G-Class has blunted its acceleration, with the now 3.0-ton-plus barge feeling both wallowy and sluggish. Once you're on the move, expect the usual G-Wagon experience, with body roll in the corners and for the car's nose to lift like a speedboat during hard acceleration. The dynamic seats, which counter gravitational forces when cornering, make things feel more under control, while the beefed-up suspension and brakes mostly make this feel like a regular G-Class.
Safety
In 2019, the G-Class series underwent evaluation in the EuroNCAP new car assessment program. The crash test results were impressive, earning it a 5-star rating. Notably, it scored 90% for adult occupant safety, 83% for child occupants, 78% for pedestrian safety, and 72% for its safety assist systems. Of course, the fact that this particular model can withstand gunfire makes it just about as safe as you'd ever want to feel in a vehicle.
Fuel consumption
Mercedes-Benz claims that the G400d will consume diesel at a rate of 9.6 L/100km; however, we achieved a figure of 12.3 L/100km, which is not bad considering the added weight!
Pricing
The model we tested was on sale for R3.7 million at the time of writing, some R500 000 more than a standard model; however, our test unit has 17 500km on the odometer, with newer models listed at R4.5 million on the M5 Armour website.
Verdict
The M5 G400d was the first armoured vehicle in which we spent some meaningful time. Considering the fact that the prospective buyer of one of these is unlikely to lower their windows at all, we can forgive the fact that the front windows only open ajar; however, the lack of visibility during crucial times of the day is irksome. There's also the issue of price; at over R1.0 million over the list, these are certainly not cheap, but something tells us that price is not generally a factor for those looking to buy a bullet-proof G-Wagon.
