The Superb modified in this way with ballistic protection is the only one in the Czech Republic, moreover, only for a few tens of hours. However, if they reach the target groups, several of them can soon travel on our journeys. The invitation to a special ride could not be refused.
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The company Dajbych is behind the opportunity to get acquainted with the armored Škoda Superb. In addition to the sale of new cars, it also focuses on the development and sale of specially modified cars. These are cars that then go to the service of the army, police or state institutions. Now the company, together with its British partners, presents a novelty in the Czech Republic – civil Damage Superb with ballistic protection.
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Unrecognizable
The modified Superb looks like a production car, but its protective capabilities exceed the production car several times over. The ballistic modification was provided by the British company UTAC Special Vehicles with the support of Škoda UK. In the United Kingdom, it is used by the armed forces as well as the police and special forces, where it is intended for the safe transport of VIPs, covert surveillance and escorts of protected persons.
If you think it’s a matter of a few units in the British Isles, you’re wrong. Since 2017, the company has manufactured and delivered 450 cars modified in this way to the local police forces.
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Why Superb? As we have already said, the armored civilian variant is indistinguishable from production cars, of which many are involved in the British police service. In a convoy of superbs, the specially modified piece is simply lost, which further increases the safety of the crew in the event of an imminent attack. However, the price-performance ratio is also emphasized, as the Superb in Britain eventually took precedence over the Opel / Vauxhall Insignia.
For strategic reasons, the manufacturer keeps the level of ballistic protection to himself, or only reveals it to potential customers. During the presentation directly at the Dajbych showroom, we learn at least that the armor elements are manufactured using the latest hot-formed armor technology for passengers from the German company Benteler from Bielefeld. Thanks to it, the protective elements are lighter and cheaper to manufacture. In addition, the production itself is easier, which significantly shortens production and delivery times.
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Superb’s armor is complemented by solid glass, which can be tinted if necessary. In addition, there is an emergency escape exit behind the rear seats. These cars are tested in accordance with strict British and German standards, and the modifications are logically reflected in the weight of the car. In the given configuration for the British police forces, the armored Superb has a total weight of 2.8 tons, with a payload of 460 kg.
Handing in hand with safety comes the tuning of selected components. Higher weight requires a number of modifications, randomly special brakes, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars or wheels approved by TÜV with tires with the appropriate speed and weight classifications and a runflat range.
It requires a habit
UTAC Special Vehicles offers ballistic protection for both liftback and station wagons, with front or all-wheel drive combinations and petrol, diesel and even plug-in hybrid engines available. The piece we can get acquainted with for a short time has a supercharged petrol four-cylinder 2.0 TSI with an output of 206 kW and 350 newton meters of torque under the hood. It is connected to a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission and sends the parameters to all wheels.
Today, however, it is not just about a static inspection, we can test the car in normal operation. So I sit behind the wheel (located on the right, it’s a short distance from England) and go for a short ride. Hundreds of extra pounds are already known during the first acceleration. If you want to start here at least a little faster, you need to depress the accelerator pedal really to the floor, sensitive work with it – as we know from a production car – will not bring the desired result.
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But when the armored piece is set in motion, it behaves like any other car. Sure, extra pounds are evident in the corners, but it’s nothing dramatic. “If we remember the ballistic specials a few years ago, they were unmanageable when driving faster,” explains Jiří Krysl from the Dajbych car show, which I interviewed about the armored Superb in the video above. In addition, the car still retains the rocking ride characteristic of the model and is rewarded with a long consumption of around 10 liters. I honestly expected more.
Any custom compared to a standard car? We drive around the Strahov stadium in rainy weather (Britain with everything!). The drops settle on the thick glass, and when I look through the window at a greater angle, I begin to feel a little uncomfortable. Something like a person with perfect eyesight trying on prescription glasses. It’s nothing terrible, they say it’s just a habit again. You won’t download the window, all the protective flesh would suddenly be wasted. A little more force is needed when getting out, the door is really heavy.
It is not yet clear whether and when the Superby modified in this way will appear on Czech roads. Autosalon Dajbych is now gathering knowledge and reactions from target groups, on the basis of which decisions on possible reconstructions will be made. For example, if state institutions order such an adjustment, the delivery time of an armored car is estimated at four months.
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