AUDI A8 L Security (2015)
Audi A8 L Security - the high-security version of the luxury sedan - meets the highest level of criteria that apply to civilian vehicles. An array of high-security equipment features complement the armor plating. The new Audi A8 L Security is available with two outstanding engines, the 4.0 TFSI and the W12.
Body
At 5.27 meters (17.29 ft) long and with a 3.12 meter (10.24 ft) wheelbase, the new Audi A8 L Security is a representative sedan that is, visually, barely distinguishable from the production version. And like its mainstream counterpart, its sporty, elegant design is now even more expressive: The hood, the Singleframe grille and the bumper have acquired sharper contours. The headlights have been made flatter and the LED rear lights have been modified too. The exhaust system is terminated by two large trapezoidal tailpipe trims on both sides of the tail end.
LED headlights are part of the standard specification in conjunction with the V8 engine; the W12 comes with Audi's innovative Matrix LED technology. With these headlights, the high-beam comprises 25 small, individual light-emitting diodes per unit that can be switched on and off or dimmed individually as needed. The headlight system can very precisely mask other road users out of the cone of light, without significantly reducing illumination of the road.
When developing the A8 car line, Audi included the high-security version in its plans right from the outset, resulting in an integral overall concept that is far superior to retrofit solutions. The deformation properties of all key components were investigated to ensure the new A8 L Security exhibits excellent crash behavior which also seeks to minimize the impact on the other party. Complete with its quattro permanent all-wheel drive, it is still the lightest luxury sedan in the high-security segment.
2015 Audi A8 L Security
Its basis is a modified production body made largely from aluminum according to the Audi Space Frame (ASF) principle at the Neckarsulm plant, the home of the A8; as a result, it weighs roughly 40 percent less than an equivalent body made from steel. The components that are specific to this version are made by hand in a secure production zone. It takes specially trained workers about 450 hours to fit them, before the body is sent back to the plant for final assembly.
The new Audi A8 L Security has been officially certified by the German Ballistics Testing Center in Munich; it complies with the requirements of the class VR 7 ballistic protection standard in accordance with the BRV 2009 guideline. BRV stands for "Bullet Resistant Vehicles". Class VR 7 imposes the strictest criteria on civilian high-security sedans: The body panels and glazing of the passenger cell must withstand firing with NATO sub-caliber ammunition. In certain areas, the armor plating on the A8 L Security even complies with the criteria for the classes VR 9 and VR 10. Resistance to explosives is tested in accordance with the ERV 2010 guideline (Explosion Resistant Vehicles).
The high-security sedan's occupant cell, which is integrated into the body as a unitary element, features extremely tough, highly resistant materials - heat-formed armor steel, aramide fabric, ceramic, a special aluminum alloy, and multi-laminated glass. The protective materials overlap at transitions, for maximum security.
The aluminum side sills incorporate massive ballistic-proof profiles that afford increased protection against explosive weapons - an area in which the requirements have become considerably tougher in recent years. The armor-plated vehicle floor made from a special aluminum alloy has the same purpose. The new Audi A8 L Security can withstand attack by military hand grenades. Even an explosive charge, as specified in the test program, does not pose a lethal threat to passengers, as demonstrated by tests involving dummies.
For the door windows, windshield and rear window, Audi uses special glass with a splinter-inhibiting polycarbonate layer on the inside. As an option, there are electromechanical side windows that almost fully open the panes. A doorstop function holds the door in any desired position.
The communications box in the trunk of the high-security saloon is one of its central elements. It houses the control units for the vehicle and communications electronics, as well as a supplementary battery and elements of the optional components that increase passenger protection still further. The highly armor-plated communications box has comparatively lightweight ceramic doors, and its frame is made from aluminum. Special protection for the battery and fuel tank can also be supplied as an option.
The standard equipment of the new Audi A8 L Security also includes the intercom system that the passengers can use to communicate with the outside world with the windows shut. It comprises a loudspeaker in the Singleframe grille, along with microphones for the interior and for the vehicle's surroundings.