What’s cooler than an Escalade? An armored one. Yes, an armored Escalade elevates the aristocrat and wanna-be aristocrat to near invincibility, to a place that literally shuts out the rest of the world. Why are armored vehicles—unobtainable and unnecessary for most of us ordinary, regular people who have mostly nothing to protect and who are living in a time that lacks substantial threats of attack—so appealing? Like military vehicles, they’re just badass. Cue the black sunglasses and bodyguards, and say sayonara to kidnappings, car jackings, projectiles, and space debris.
AddArmor by Quality Coachworks, operating out of Ontario, California, specializes in vehicle armoring and protection. One of its newest additions to its Full Protection SUV lineup is fittingly the B6-rated 2022 Cadillac Escalade that crams bank-level security into a completely customized Escalade. From the outside, it’s a sleeper, looking like an ordinarily beautiful new Escalade. You can’t really tell that the inside’s packed with $80,000 worth of B6 AR 500 lightweight ballistic protection panels and a fully bespoke interior package worth $75,000.
The exterior of the armored SUV is a nearly impenetrable safe haven thanks to B6-level armored panels (made of a high-strength, moldable, and weather-resistant composite material called Dyneema) covering the sides, roof, and floor of the Escalade. Thick, burly B6-grade armored bulletproof glass protects the window and windshield spaces. All this protection provides 360-degree defense against threats from things like AK-47s and IEDs.
The armored Escalade also has a siren PA system to communicate with the outside world, run flat tire inserts, lights in the front grille, and potentially a bounty of unspoken secret safety feature options that could include, for example, electric-shock door handles and underbody bomb-sensing capabilities, as found on an AddArmor by Quality Coachworks Hennessey Velociraptor.
The interior of this Escalade has been completely revamped for full luxury, more resembling the interior of a private jet than a vehicle. (Cue the classic music while apocalyptic doom escalates outside.) An Alcantera suede headliner, hand-worked custom leather upholstery, wood grain accents, and fine hardwood are found throughout.
Two custom heating, cooling, and massaging captain chairs separated by a fancy center console are the centerpiece. Both are equipped with reading lights and fold-out aircraft tables. Two more seats, also separated by a fancy center console, face the captain chairs, the occupants riding backward. There’s a giant Samsung Smart TV for on-road entertainment, a Sony sound system for plenty of (audio) boom, and a smattering of screens throughout the cabin.
The B6 armored Escalade is but one example of what AddArmor by Quality Coachworks can do when it comes to full-scale vehicular protection and up-scale luxury interiors. The company works with clients to meet their needs, with packages starting at $32,500 (plus the price of a donor car). This armored Cadillac is officially added to our wish list.
Keyword: This Armored Escalade Looks Like a Caddy, Protects Like a Tank