German Mercedes Dealer Builds Ultimate Armored Luxury G500
Mercedes-Benz Gruma in Doblen, Germany delivers G500-based Enok P1, combining luxury features with heavy armor and a big V8.
Though we know the G-Wagen is more or less a big luxury SUV these days, cruising the streets of Hollywood, Atlanta, and Miami with celebrities inside. It didn’t start off that way, of course, as it was — and still is — the choice of more than a few military and NGO groups. Its rugged construction is more than enough to handle whatever obstacles stand in its way, from unpaved roads, to war-torn neighborhoods.
It is this aspect of the G-Wagen, according to DriveTribe, that influenced Doblen, Germany Mercedes dealership Mercedes-Benz Gruma to build its own take on the LAPV Enok, the G500-based Enok P1.
The custom G-Wagen was built in a collaboration with Armoured Car Systems — who builds the Enok LAPV — and features enough armor to protect its occupants from gunfire, as well as IEDs left on the road. FormaCar adds that the Enok P1 rolls on 18-inch wheels attached to portal axles, increasing the ground clearance so its armored floor is further away from any explosives waiting for their intended target.
Inside the armored G500, a world of luxury awaits. Diamond-quilted leather seats greet five occupants with opulence, while Alcantara dominates the headliner and the door cards. Carbon fiber trim lines the center console, and a roof portal is ready for any gunner needing to clear out any trouble along the way to the party.
Under the hood, a 416-horsepower, 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 is there to move the big G500 and its armor plating around, a far cry from the 3.0-liter diesel engines used in the Enok LAPV. An automatic transmission handles the power transfer.
The one-of-one concept is available for sale through Armoured Car Systems, though the only way to know how much it costs is by contacting the seller. Of course, it’s probably one of those vehicles where if you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it. For the rich despot, important diplomat, or a celebrity with a military fetish, though, the armored Mercedes is just the ticket to letting the world know you mean business.
Photos: FormaCar