How do you test an armored Mercedes? Shoot it with an AK-47, of course!

By Stephen Edelstein November 14, 2014

It’s important to stand behind your product, but if said product is an armored car, that can mean going to some extraordinary lengths.

Texas Armoring Corporation CEO Trent Kimball recently decided to prove his vehicles’ mettle by jumping behind the wheel of an armored Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, and then getting shot at by an AK-47-wielding employee from 20 yards away.

Since you haven’t had any unusual gun-death stories involving luxury SUVs pop up in your news feed, you’ve probably guessed that Kimball emerged unscathed.

In fact, he emerges from the Mercedes to deliver a quick line to the camera cool as a cucumber.

Not that we’d want to take his place. The impacts may have done nothing but throw up puffs of glass shards, but the shooter made sure not to hit the same spot twice, something even heavily-reinforced glass can’t always withstand.

That’s not likely to happen in the real world, though, where the target is typically moving. Few marks will oblige an attacker by sitting perfectly still while they unload a clip.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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