SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST; A high-performance luxury car you can bond with.(News)(Daimler-Benz AG)

Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE

Building a car able to make fast getaways in a cloud of smoke is not an unusual request for Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus. Depending on the size of your Merc's engine bay and your budget, you can choose from a full lineup of beefed-up, tire-roasting Brabus-massaged Mercedes motors, up to a 6.3-liter, 730-hp bi-turbo V12.

But when a customer walked into the Newport Beach, California, showroom requesting Brabus build him a car that can quickly leave the scene trailing smoke emanating from more than just the tires, he got Brabus North America president Steven Beaty's undivided attention.

"We built him the Brabus 6.1 Urban Tactical Vehicle, an armored urban tactical luxury sedan,'' Beaty said of the specially commissioned project based on a 2002 S-Class. The UTV, explained Beaty, is "designed for individuals who demand luxury transportation that not only offers comfort and enhanced performance, but also integrates tactical features that provide defensive, evasive and preemptive danger-containment subsystems for unexpected emergencies such as attempted armed carjacking, high-speed chases, random violence, natural disasters, surveillance and counter-surveillance.''

In other words, it is more than just another armor-plated limo. Who orders something like this?

We'll call him Yuri. Yuri calls himself an international venture capitalist. His work involves hanging out with some of the world's wealthiest and most influential people. Despite the type of car he owns, Yuri is very approachable about why he commissioned a UTV.

"I like Mercedes-Benz and I like Brabus,'' Yuri said. "A Hummer is one thing, but I wanted luxury. I was inspired by my world travels and my training to create a paradigm to fit my lifestyle.''