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A Mercedes-Maybach S650 armored vehicle has been added to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motorcade. When PM Modi travelled to see Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is visiting India, he was seen for the first time in the new Maybach S650 at Hyderabad House.

Narendra Modi upgraded from Land Rover Range Rover Sentinel to a Mercedes-Maybach S650. It is not the PM, but the Special Protection Group (SPG), that decides what car will be used by the Prime Minister and President.

Last year, Mercedes-Maybach released the S600 Guard in India at a cost of Rs 10.5 crore. The S650 is expected to cost around Rs 12 crore.

The Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard is driven by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 engine with 516 horsepower and 900 Nm of peak torque. It has a maximum speed limit of 160 kmh.

The body and windows of the S650 guard can withstand a bullet with a hardened steel core. It has an Explosion Proof Vehicle (ERV) rating from 2010, and its occupants are safe from a 15kgs TNT blast from just 2 meters away. To shield the lower section of the vehicle from direct blasts, the interior of the glass is coated with polycarbonate and extensively armored. In the event of a gas attack, the cabin has its own air supply.