According to Carscoops , not many people know that BMW has spent over four decades proving its ability to produce armored vehicles. Currently, BMW offers bulletproof versions of the 7-Series and X5.
Last month, the German automaker invited 67 customers from eight European countries to experience and assess the performance limits of these models firsthand.
According to Carscoops , BMW seems to want to demonstrate to attendees how effectively the armored BMW 7-Series and BMW X5 models can still operate, despite the significant increase in weight compared to the standard versions.
For easier comparison and verification, the armored vehicles were tested alongside their regular versions, including the 740d, 750e, as well as the X5 50e, X5 40d, and X5 M.
The participating customers also got to experience how armored vehicles handle emergency braking in corners, and dedicated off-road areas became the testing ground for the X5's limits. The event was held at BMW's development center in Sokolov, with the participation of professional instructors from Germany and the Czech Republic.
BMW has offered the 7-Series and X5 Protection models since 2023. The BMW X5 offers VR6 ballistic protection, while the 7-Series achieves the higher VR9 standard, allowing it to withstand sustained rifle and explosive attacks.
The BMW 7-Series Protection version is equipped with a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 mild hybrid engine, producing 523 horsepower and 750 Nm of torque. In addition, this model also has an all-electric i7 version based on the M70 xDrive platform.