Bill Gates once purchased the slowest bulletproof vehicle in existence.

      Volvo

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      Once the wealthiest individual globally, Bill Gates played a key role in the enactment of the “Show and Display” rule, which allows collectors to register imported vehicles that don’t meet American standards, provided they are driven infrequently. This legislation enabled him to legally drive a Porsche 959, but he sought a more understated, armored vehicle for daily use. Consequently, he ended up with one of the slowest bulletproof cars available.

      In a recent VINwiki video, Terry Haigh, a former luxury car sales manager from Bellevue, Washington, recounted how a representative for Gates visited Mercedes-Benz of Bellevue to request a bulletproof station wagon. Already a prominent executive, Gates appeared to be worried about safety and wished for his children to travel in an armored vehicle. Although the video does not disclose the specific model Gates was interested in, it features an image of an S124, which later evolved into the original E-Class. At that time, Mercedes did not offer any armored, production wagons, prompting Haigh to contact Germany to inquire if they could create one for such a distinguished client.

      Unexpectedly, Mercedes reportedly declined the request. Haigh summarized the company's response succinctly: “We’re not gonna do that. The liability is too much. If something should happen, if anything were to occur to those kids, and we told Bill that we created a bullet-resistant vehicle or something similar, or that it couldn't be damaged… we just don’t want to go there. We want nothing to do with that car.”

      However, the search for an armored wagon continued. Gates’ representative allegedly approached a Volvo dealership to see if a 240 could be armored, and surprisingly, the answer was “yes.” It remains unclear whether Volvo performed the armor installation in-house or outsourced the task to another company, what modifications were made during the conversion, and the car's current location, but the extra protection came at the cost of performance. Adding armor significantly increases weight, and the 240 was not particularly fast to begin with.

      Volvo discontinued the 240 after the 1993 model year, so we can use that as reference. Available in both sedan and wagon forms, this model featured a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 114 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque. The wagon weighed around 3,050 pounds and took over 10 seconds to reach 60 mph. Adding, for instance, an additional 1,000 pounds of armor (including thicker glass) would reduce its acceleration to a level comparable to a Super Beetle. The S124, on the other hand, performed somewhat better: the 3,450-pound 300TE of 1993 came with a 177-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six engine.

      It seems the wagon’s performance was not the only concern for the Gates family. Haigh, who worked for the same company that owned the Volvo dealership nearby, recalled a humorous incident: The armored Volvo was in the repair shop monthly due to the driver’s window motor failing under the weight of the thicker glass. For some reason, upgrading to a more powerful motor wasn’t considered. The shop simply removed the door panel, replaced the motor, and sent the car back on its way.

      These and several more intriguing stories can be found in the complete episode.

      Do you have tips or information regarding the current whereabouts of the armored Volvo? Please send them to [email protected]