My Desultory Blog

They could have improved the efficiency (and performance) with a “chipped” TDI diesel no doubt! Still not such a bad idea in parts of central Ameican and the Middle East.

The Volkswagen Bora Protect could possibly be the world’s most fuel-efficient, factory-built armored sedan. Powered by the automaker’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and paired to VW’s six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the Protect version of the Bora (called the Jetta in the U.S.) has all the makings of a fuel-efficient four-door, but hundreds of pounds of tank-like armor probably increases its appetite for gasoline rather dramatically.

The bullet-blocking Bora features Kevlar and Aramid mats in the door panels, bullet-resistant polycarbonate windows and run-flat rubber to make shooting out the tires a real challenge. The $70,000 (U.S.) Bora Protect is designed to keep drivers and occupants safe in Mexico, as that’s where the armored Bora is sold. Why Mexico? Well, um, that’s open to opinion. However, we’d venture to guess that the Bora Protect is often used to safely carve through streets ravaged by the Mexican Drug War.