Meet the American SUV where Rubio arrived in São Bento

ANDthursday, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, visit Portugal. He arrived at St Benedict's Palace in Chevrolet Suburban, a luxury SUV, like they picked up the TV cameras.

Not available for sale in Portugal, is present in the United States of America from the $64,500 (the equivalent of a price around eur 56,700 at the current exchange rate) for the general public.

In view of the functions to which it is affected, it is reasonable to assume that the vehicle will not be equipped as one for the ordinary citizen – there is a specific armored version made for the Diplomatic Security Service of the State Department, Suburban Shield.

But let us first go to the civilian range, led by a variant whose price starts at $88,795 (more than €79,400). Incoming, the Suburban proposes a V8 engine 5.3 liters with 355 cv and 383 Nom of binary. There is also a turbodiesel 3.0 liters (305 cv/495 Nm) and one V8 6.2 litres (420 cv/460 Nm). There may be rear or integral traction and the transmission is always automatic of ten speeds.

With rear traction, there are four different equipment levels (LS, LT, RST and Premier), while with full traction there are six when adding the Z71 between the LT and the RST and the High Country at the top of the range – this proposes, among other unique features, a magnetic damping control with adaptive pneumatic suspension.

The equipment varies, of course, according to the version, but the model always takes up to seven people distributed in three rows of seats. There may be heated steering wheel, front seats, second row heated seats, front seats heated and ventilated and adjustable,

Among the driver support, we can find proposals such as frontal collision alert, dead-angle assistant, rear camera, track maintenance assistance with exit warning, cruise control adaptive, Surround view or even Super Cruise technology that allows hands-free circulation on certain roads.

At the entrance, there is an 11-inch digital instrument panel, while infoentertainment is accessed by a central touch screen of 17.7 inches. A wireless smartphone charger, rear-view mirror camera, head-up display or a ten-speaker surround Bose sound system are some of the features that the range features, depending on the level of equipment.

The outer color palette has seven options. It is a large SUV (more than 5.7 meters long and weighs 3.4 tons), imposing, in which the hood is in a high position. The front includes chrome elements. After pillars B, the roof tilts very gently, forming almost like a rectangle behind. The rear windows are darkened.

The most equipped version includes a specific signature grid, plates on the threshold of the doors and even real wooden elements in the passenger compartment, reinforcing a more premium character.

Chevrolet Suburban Shield, armored mobility

O Suburban Shield is an armored mobility solution of GM Defense. This is a armored vehicle developed for the Diplomatic Security Service of the State Department

It is designed not only to maximize protection, but also to have better maneuverability and better traction control, in addition to a stronger braking power.

It has unique chassis and suspension designed for more demanding performance requirements. It is heavier compared to commercial versions and the payload capacity is higher. In this case, it has different configurations for the second and third rows (with benches running or individual, which can be armchair type in the second row).

There is always full traction, with the engine 6.2 liters V8 as part of the serial equipment (the 3.0 liters turbodiesel is optional). The anti-lock brake discs equip the four wheels and the suspension is specific to the GMD HD Chassis chassis.

Suburban Shield proposes heated, ten-way (optionally eight-way) front seats, leather surfaces, no wireless charger for smartphones or adaptive cruise control (but has cruise control).

With regard to the rest of the driving assists, they do not abound at Suburban Shield: they are also the indicator of distance to the front vehicle, frontal collision alert and assistance to the parking with rear camera.