Mulayam Singh Yadav Set To Lose His Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard

by Harish Kumar | 24/09/2019
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According to some reports, the Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard has developed some technical issues that require as much as Rs 26 Lakh for the repairing costs.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, well-known Samajwadi Party patriarch and the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, will have to give up his swanky bulletproof Mercedes Benz ML 500 Guard SUV allotted to him by the state government. According to an official of the UP Government, the Mercedes ML500 Guard has developed some serious technical faults that would cost around Rs 26 Lakh to repair.

“Our budget does not allow us to undertake the expensive repairs so we will give another suitable car, probably a Prado, to Mulayam Singh”, said the official.

mercedes benz ml 500 guard side profile

After losing the official bungalow, Mulayam Singh Yadav, UP's former Chief Minister, is set to lose his Mercedes-Benz SUV as well.

In fact, the authorities and security agencies have discussed this problem but due to the budget crunch, they both expressed their unwillingness to pay the repairing costs of the SUV. In such a situation, Mulayam Singh Yadav might be allotted a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as an alternative. At the moment, he is using a BMW model.

Also Read - Weird and Wacky Modified Mercedes Cars in India

It is worth noting that the Toyota Prado will, of course, can't be compared to the Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard in terms of appearance, and brand image. Needless to say, the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class is such an opulent SUV that will cost you a fortune to have it parked in your garage. The ML500 Guard trim is much pricier at a staggering price of Rs 3 Crores. The premium bulletproof SUV was launched in the country by Mercedes at the 2014 Auto Expo with a hefty ex-showroom price sticker of Rs 2.49 Crores.

mercedes benz ml 500 guard white front angle

It is an expensive Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard that commands a price of around Rs 3 crores.

The Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard is a bulletproof SUV that meets the VR4 protection level. The Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard can protect its passengers from weapons like handguns’ bullets or even grenades. Furthermore, it offers an emergency fresh-air system on board that enables the occupants to breathe the fresh air in 5 to 8 minutes in case of a gas attack.

mercedes-benz m-class guard

The Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard is bullet-proof and powered by a 4.7-litre V8 petrol engine option.

Due to the additional armouring, the ML500 Guard SUV weighs 400 kilograms over the regular Mercedes-Benz ML-Class. Regardless, the SUV is still capable of hitting the 100 kmph mark from a standstill in 6.5 seconds merely. The ML 500 Guard gets a decent power output of 402 BHP and a peak torque of 600 Nm from a 4.7-litre V8 petrol engine, which comes linked to a 7-speed automatic torque converter as standard. It is even equipped with a set of run-flat tyres which keeps it operational for up to 80 km in case of having a puncture by bullets or any other on the way.

Also Read - The Greatest Mercedes Benz Cars Of All Times

Quite obviously then, the running costs of Mercedes cars will never come cheap. To be honest, the sheer maintenance cost of this massive luxurious petrol-powered SUV can be really on the steep side. Because the Mercedes-Benz ML500 Guard makes its way to India via the CBU route, importing parts to our country for maintaining the car is very expensive. Since the government of Uttar Pradesh finds the Rs 26 lakh bill for repairing the SUV unaffordable, they resort to a cheaper replacement as the Toyota LandCruiser Prado. However, it is also worth considering that making the Prado bullet-proof might go to a great expense. It remains to be known if the Uttar Pradesh government can actually opt for another bullet-proof vehicle for their former Chief Minister or not.

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