CHEVROLET SUBURBAN TEST Drive since 2006

Defender of the White House

In principle, this car probably saw a very large part of our population. Those who are interested in the President of the Russian Federation, noticed her for sure. Exactly the same Chevrolet Suburban are in service with the Federal Security Service. And people in black overalls with assault automatic rifles and native eyes, preferring not to glow before lenses, ensure the safety of the movement of officials number 1 and number 2 through the cities and the weasses of our country. True, recently, Mercedes G came to replace them, but, as they say, armored train - on a spare way.

The car, visiting us on the test, was not from a special purpose garage. It owns it, let's say, a simple private person, to whom the armored car cost $ 130,000 (without customs clearance). But we could not miss the opportunity to try the car from the presidential convoy.
Simple but tasteful
Outside, armored version is no different from the ordinary Chevrolet Suburban. If only this machine can be called usual in relation to the Moscow streets. And regardless of them too. American and itself impresses. Five and a half meters of length, two widths and almost as much height. Four-wheel drive. And all this is dowed classic for GMC SUVs. It has something from the school bus and at the same time from self-propelled barn. So big big. That would be the goods to deliver! True, the selection of engines offered by the Americans is quite capable of cooling the trading dust: V-shaped eights with a working capacity of 5.7 and 7.4 liters for gasoline and 6.5 liters for turboodiesel. And fuel consumption of more than 16 liters per hundred. And this is for the standard. But in front of us the car is not simple. It is clear that only a very serious person can afford to ride such a bus.
To book, the most powerful version was selected - to 2500 with a 7.4-liter engine. The differences from the base model becomes noticeable only when the doors are open. You understand the thickness of the multilayer glass that can withstand a blow of 7.62-mm bullets released from AKM or M-16, it is impossible to hide. By the way, all the side windows can descend. True, not to the end, but only half. Perhaps, from the point of view of security, it is a slightly worst option than fixed glass, but it clearly like the car owner.
In general, the level of protection meets the requirements of category 5-Sib, or B6 according to DIN. It is provided not only by reservation, but also by special inserts in tires, allowing to move on the steroid wheels.
With the exception of a strange view of the doors, the inner decoration at first glance also does not give any special stake. This undoubtedly contributes to the huge size of the base car. As well as relatively simple equipment. There is neither satellite communications on the car, nor the hirtomotry of additional fire extinguishing systems. But there is a minion detector. Hearing about him, we first twisted. But then they remembered that the list of blown cars belonging to domestic businessmen, grows and multiplies. So call a similar device without risk. Three control buttons to them are assembled in a separate block and neatly asked on the dashboard. Very convenient: and at hand, and not attract attention ...
Surbanovsky Salon is something. Well, think about yourself, can you now meet the seats of the sofa type now? And the length of the passenger premises is such that the third row can also be put, for the attachment of which there are special places on the floor of the luggage compartment. Having overlooking it limited by armored vehicles and armored beds, involuntarily start thinking not about banking charges or money, but rather about artistic values. And only dollar banknotes here can be laid so much that it is enough for the budget of a small state.
Five tons of armor and steel
We slam the doors and immediately feel yourself sitting inside the armored car. And it's not just a big effort that you have to apply to the door. In the form of the inner side panels, a large thickness of the glass is guessed, and thorough toning aggravates the feeling of the closed space. And so strong that two hefty men entering our test group and unusual to think of security categories are complaining about tightness. I turn around and pretending the width of the cabin: a meter of one and a half. And you can also play the adjustments of the seats ... But the employees of the security service of the publishing house Kommersant inside the car quietly melted. On them the thickness of the glass did not give. Well, their approach to the armored car - the most correct.
However, we have already rubbed in place for a long time, and therefore we start the engine - and on the road. The steering wheel with a hydraulicer, not very sharp and with a small tracking action. Quite an American steering wheel. Under it, on the column, also in the spirit of Made in USA the box selector lever.
The automatic box is very soft, in the American taste. She is unobtrusive, but completely unbearable accelerates the car. Probably, it would be possible to move with some car, but from the height of the driver's seat Suburban such an occupation seems extremely unsolonged ... The maximum speed of the car and the time of overclocking 0 - a hundred turned out to be a mystery - even representatives of General Motors could not give an answer to this question. They said only that quite sufficient to escort and Mercedes 600, and government zil.
The suspension also works exactly as we expect from the American SUV: it is noticeably tougher than on the road cruisers of the past years, but still much softer than European or Japanese passing.
The brakes were male. They have everything in order with efficiency, and the effort with very energetic braking is excessive. But still, so that they began to act, easy touching the pedal sufficient on many cars is clearly not enough. Here on the pedal must be attacked by a truly male.
The fact that there is always something from the truck in the hawves of armored cars - the usual thing. About Suburban Do not say this. Because behind the wheel of this car you feel like a truck driver. And his behavior on the road is quite truck. Mass, dimensions, base - all suitable. And the booking gives the car the character of a loaded machine. In its reaction to each action of the driver there is a massiveness. Five tons! - Proudly reports the owner. But despite the snow porridge on the road and overtook the gas pedal to slip four wheels Suburban did not want. Yes, and to slow down to the SMO did not hurry. However, we didn't try too much: we are going on the armored person, not on the formula.
It was pleasantly surprised by the machine's defense. Purchase between those parked from both sidewalks and drive to the courtyard, at least with a reverse course, it turned out at all difficult.
Outcome
Armored Suburban is something average between the PMW 750 or Mercedes-Benz 600 Mercedes-Benz 600 and Mercedes-Benz 600 and Cars. It has no sophistication and stiffness of the protocol to protect the person first, but there is also no harsh simplicity and frank functionality of the second. But at the same time it has a capacity and comfort.
Automan, giving a private person to the test, for sale (095) 476-5994; 478-4175; 479-9203.

And what else
Actually classmates Suburban has no. This car is too unique. From the closest to it, you can call Mercedes-Benz 600 and the BMW 750, which have completed on specialized firms that are ready to book any machine suitable in size and engine power. And it also complicates the conversation about the analogues. But still, the named stamps can be considered a business card of European reservations, because they personify the approach of firms. A passenger car for a large person should be comfortable, solid, armored and not stand out in the transport stream. But the values \u200b\u200bin them are not handy. Unless some jewelry. In a box.
A different category of cars is called a conditionally business class. Armored version of Volkswagen Caravelle can also be found to invisible. Civilian appearance is attractive, but agree, come on a commercial car to negotiations somehow unsolonged. Another thing is to carry money. Probably, therefore, the main buyer of Volkswagen in Russia are banks.
Perhaps only in the Brabus Sicherheitsfahrzeuge gamma, which is armored Gelaendewagen from Mercedes-Benz, you can find direct SUBURBAN competitors that are suitable to carry and the person and values.
Booked
The owner of the armored Suburban immediately turns out to be in a very solid company. Here you and Elizabeth II, and Pope John Paul, and all the Oon and Pentagon bosses. And, The Last But Not The Least, with a dozen American presidents led by the present. George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Jerry Ford, Richard Nixon, John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, etc. - all traded on the armor.
And Bill Clinton, along with the mountain on the eve of the elections, even helped his guards to push the armored car stuck in the dirt. Photo of this feat bypassed America. What you can do, forming an image - hard work. By the way, and the security had to pre-work: to plant Chevrolet Suburban is not easy.
In Russia, the Chevrolet Suburban dressed in armor is increasingly starting to use banks and other structures that have to think a lot about security. So even the firm O`gara-hess & eisenhardt, since the 40s, the submissive suburbs to the American presidents from the 40s, decided to open their representative office. In the standard configuration (if applied to the armored vehicle is appropriate such a word) Suburban in Russia can be bought for $ 123-125 thousand. Plus customs clearance.
In general, Suburban, especially armored, is a car for those who drive with security. She did she like the most. In particular, the chief of security company Roman. Here is his point of view.
If one word is p ... c.
Will you not understand, or you are on the plane (this is when you accelerate), or on the boat - when you go along the highway and smoothly sway.
Patency brutal. We drove here for three hundred km from Moscow - there were no roads at all and forged a frozen river. In general, where the tractor will drive, there and Suburban. And it is impossible to break it into the drift: we all tried in turn - nothing happened. In winter, when it is slippery and besides a hill, "anyone will go. And if we compare according to the dynamics of the ordinary suburban and armored, then it turns out about the same. The second is heavier, but the engine is seven and a half liters.
By the way, such a car is more than any other, cruise control is suitable. You go and bold, even though legs on the front panel of the bag.
But a lot of gasoline, fellow, eats. Here all directories lie, underestimated. On the highway, if one rear presenters - already twenty liters, and in the city yes, turn on the full drive - all forty will come out. Yes, in general, whom it worries. It is more important for us: when it is necessary, you can easily take a person ten. Especially in the American version, when the front is not two chairs, but one big sofa.
Driver sit wildly comfortable. The steering wheel can be put in any position. The seat is lowered, rises, moves to any side. Even the rigidity of the pillow is adjustable.
In short, p ... c.
 
Alexey Vinogradov,
Dmitry Novokreshchenov (photo)

 

A source: "Autopilot"