When it comes to armored cars, we expect to see bulky sedans or Mercedes G Wagons fit for an oligarch—not performance sedans like the Audi RS7. It seems that a Wyoming-based specialty car builder called AddArmor has gone against the norm and done just that, creating a vehicle which lays claim to the title of world’s fastest armored car.
Meet the AddArmor APR RS7, a vehicle built to withstand bullets, explosions, and anyone who might be trying to put a stop to your day. AddArmor has taken pride in building a luxury sports sedan that can not only protect its occupants but also reach speeds north of 200 miles per hour.
Beginning the tour under the hood, AddArmor has made use of the RS7’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. Despite being respectably powerful from the factory, the RS7’s builders knew that speed can sometimes mean the difference between life and death—so they’ve worked with APR, one of the most well-known Volkswagen and Audi tuners, to squeeze some extra life out of the platform. This means that drivers will have up to 760 horsepower at the disposal of their right foot.
Unlike most armored cars, the RS7 hasn’t been bogged down by heavy steel. In fact, because AddArmor used a special polycarbonate composite rather than traditional methods, the total armoring weight adds “no more than 200 pounds” to the vehicle’s overall weight.
“With the new AddArmor APR RS7, we wanted to demonstrate how today’s armoring technology allows drivers to pick from a wide range of cars not normally associated with armored vehicles,” comments AddArmor President Jeff Engen. “That small amount of weight allows for exotic sports cars and even electric vehicles to be nicely armored without compromising their performance or range. The key difference is AddArmor uses a polycarbonate composite instead of heavy steel plating. The weave offers a much stronger, lighter package that simultaneously allows the car to be much faster.
And much faster it is. In fact, AddArmor says that its RS7 can sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds and reach speeds of up to 202 miles per hour, likely making it the world’s fastest armored car.
AddArmor’s B4-level armoring creates a multi-level mixture of polycarbonate and ballistic glass to protect vehicle occupants. Ballistically, it can stop small arms fire up to .44 magnum with ease; optional B7-level armoring can stop larger caliber rifle ammunition and armor-piercing rounds.
What would an armored car be without James Bond-style gadgets? As it turns out, the RS7 has plenty of those too. Pepper spray can be expelled from a small nozzle on the B-pillar, the doors are equipped with electric-shock handles, tear gas can be dispensed from two onboard canisters, frequencies jammers are installed to disable drones, and a gas detection system can create a positive-pressurized cabin to temporarily shield occupants from poison gas. The car also features a night-vision-equipped 360-degree camera and Pirelli run-flat tires.
Of course, protection comes with a price. AddArmor says that its APR RS7 starts at around $205,000 including the price of the car, though it also offers anti-intrusion add-on packages for vehicles starting at $28,000.
