2011 Audi A8 L Security review
Monday, July 25, 2011 by John
Audi is introducing the new exclusive model the Audi A8 L Security. The long-wheelbase high-security version of the A8 meets the strictest guidelines in force for civilian vehicles, having a host of unique security features obtainable furthermore to its heavy armoring. At sales launch Audi will provide the W12 engine, with a different unit to follow in 2012.
At five.27 meters (17.29 ft) in length, the Audi A8 L Security is a huge, representative luxury sedan, hardly distinguishable to the eye from the production version. The LED headlights, which use light-emitting diodes for all functions, lend a striking expression to its front. They are component of the standard package within the A8 L Security W12.
The Audi A8 L Security has been officially certified by a German-government ballistics testing facility in Munich for compliance with the class VR 7 ballistic protection normal (tested as per BRV 2009 guidelines). The abbreviation BRV stands for Bullet Resistant Vehicles.The car’s resistance to explosions was tested as per ERV 2010 guidelines (ERV = Explosion Resistant Vehicles). Class VR 7 ballistic protection imposes the strictest standards on civilian high-security sedans.The sheet metal and glazing within the passenger cell need to withstand firing with NATO hard-core ammunition. In specific areas, the armoring on the Audi A8 L Security even complies with the criteria for class VR 9 and VR 10.
Integrated as a unitized component of the body, the high-security sedan’s safety cell features a convergence of very tough, resistant materials – hot-formed armored steel, aramide fabric, ceramics, unique alloyed aluminum and multilayer glass.Overlapping protective materials at the joints present the utmost level of security all through the occupant cell.The interior armoring weighs approximately 720 kilograms (1,587.33 lb).
The aluminum side sills have solid steel sections built in.These give increased protection against explosive weapons – an region that has seen a marked stiffening of requirements in recent years.Produced of an innovative aluminum alloy, the car’s armored floor serves the exact same purpose.The Audi A8 L Security is capable of withstanding an attack with a military hand grenade.Even an explosive charge defined from the test program doesn’t pose a lethal threat to passengers, as demonstrated by measurements taken throughout testing on dummies.
The side windows, windshield and rear window are all created of special glass having a polycarbonate coating in the inside to prevent spalling.Optional electromechanical window openers operate the side windows, permitting them to be lowered nearly all of the way.The excess weight of the windows amounts to just over 300 kilograms (661.39 lb). A closing assist feature comes normal for the doors – which weigh an additional 360 kilograms (793.66 lb) altogether.A door-stop function holds each and every door open in any desired position.
A key location within the Audi A8 L Security will be the “communication box” within the luggage compartment.Additionally to the control units for the vehicle and communications electronics, it holds the optional components that further enhance the passengers’ safety, together with the additional battery.The heavily armored communication box is novel in a different way:It has comparatively light ceramic doors, and its frames are produced of aluminum.A regular two-way communication program makes it possible for passengers in the Audi A8 L Security to communicate with the outside world when the windows are closed.The method makes use of a speaker inside the single-frame grille too as microphones for the cabin and exterior.
In spite of the high level of security it offers, the Audi A8 L Security is actually a fairly light armored auto. As is often the case in an Audi, the lightweight design plays a central role here. Outfitted with the W12 engine, the Audi A8 L Security will be the lightest car amongst its peers.For A8 L Security customers, a multitude of special options are out there for enhanced security. Amongst these is the emergency exit program, a technology patented by Audi. When the driver or rear passenger presses a tamperproof switch and pulls 1 of the inside door handles, pyrotechnical separating screws inside the hinges detach the door from the body. The door can then be knocked out with a slight push.
Another security feature will be the fire extinguisher system, which is activated via heat sensors or by pushing a button. The extinguishing agent flows from two canisters installed within the luggage compartment by means of two tubes running along the underfloor. Nozzles spray the agent into the wheel arches, onto the underfloor, onto the tank, and into the engine compartment.
The emergency fresh-air system operates with two oxygen cartridges housed within the protected region. At the push of a button, the program supplies fresh breathing air to the interior via vents inside the roof lining. The supply lasts long sufficient for the vehicle to pass by way of a danger zone or get out of a danger zone it truly is at present in. The program works by generating positive pressure within the vehicle interior to stop toxic gases from penetrating the cabin. Yet a different choice is what Audi calls security commence – a feature that enables the driver to begin the engine remotely via a radio signal.
A lot of extra solutions round out the offering: a smoke extractor for the passenger compartment, an LED signaling system for convoy travel, flashing lights, a siren, a preparation for expert mobile radio systems, a flag holder, a permanently installed telephone, an accident information recorder, an additional rearview camera along with a heated windshield plus partially heated side windows. Going beyond all of this, Audi will also make certain customers’ special requests are taken care of an individual basis.
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