VW will happily sell you an armored last-gen Jetta… in Mexico

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Volkswagen, Specialty

Volkswagen Bora Protect

Personal protection is a big deal south of the border, and the people of Mexico reportedly spend upwards of $80 million per year on armored vehicles. When we think of armored cars, we tend to think about Chevy Tahoes and Ford Expeditions, but Volkswagen has for years offered a smaller, slightly more affordable option.

The Bora Protect is little more than a previous-generation Jetta, except it can stop a bullet. The no-doubt heavy little sedan costs about $70,000 in U.S. funds, but if that’s what it takes to stop a high-velocity round from entering the cabin, it’s likely money well spent. And as an added bonus, buyers of the Bora Protect receive the superior interior of the last-generation Jetta, as opposed to the cost-cut cabin of the current model.

And as you might expect, the base 115-horsepower 2.0-liter engine isn’t the mill of choice when you’re hauling several hundreds of pounds worth of Kevlar and other bullet blockers. For 70-large you also get the 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter mill mated to a six-speed DSG for (at least close to) proper motivation. Run-flat rubber makes shooting out the tires a less-fruitful endeavor, as well.

Something tells us that the 2.0T isn’t quite as peppy under the hood of the Bora Protect as it is in the GLI, but then again, the Bora Protect is about stopping bullets, not driving like one.

[Source: Volkswagen]

VW will happily sell you an armored last-gen Jetta… in Mexico originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar unleashes XJ Sentinel for all your armored needs

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Jaguar, Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty, Luxury

Jaguar XJ Sentinel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Budding rap stars, dictators, special agents and anyone else looking for the ultimate in over-the-road safety now have an elegant new option when it comes time to scoop up that next heavily armored ride. Jaguar has announced that it will show off its XJ Sentinel in both left- and right-hand drive at the 2010 Moscow International Motor Show.

As with other machines of its ilk, the XJ Sentinel features sufficient armor plating that it’s earned B7 levels of ballistics protection (read: can handle moderately-sized explosions and gunfire). Plus, because it’s based on the long-wheelbase XJ, it won’t attract more than the usual attention from anyone looking out for dignitaries to harass.

The same naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 and six-speed automatic that powers the standard XJ is included in the package, and its 385 horsepower can propel the 7,275-pound heavyweight to 62 miles per hour in under 10 seconds. Not exactly breathtakingly fast, but that’s the price you pay for protection.

Fortunately, the suspension has been beefed up to deal with the excess weight with continually variable dampers. So too have the brakes, bringing this 120-mile-per-hour speeding locomotive to a halt. Pricing is not publicly available at the moment, but you can always contact your own personal security consultant to hammer out the details. Full press release after the break.

Gallery: Jaguar XJ Sentinel

[Source: Jaguar]

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Jaguar unleashes XJ Sentinel for all your armored needs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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