BMW develops armoured versions of some of its models in-house under the Protection Vehicles banner. Indeed, the X5 Protection is claimed to be the best-selling vehicle with ‘VR6’ classification in the world, though BMW has been making armoured versions of its 7 Series since 1978. Now there’s a new one, and for the first time, buyers can specify electric power in the shape of the i7 Protection.
To get a feel for how a specially developed armoured BMW drives, and to help us understand the skills required of drivers of these vehicles, we attended an event run by BMW Security Vehicle Training, a specialist division offering driver training to bodyguards and professional drivers (and even special forces) in a remote disused airfield some 60 kilometres north of Berlin. The location allows for extreme driving manoeuvres - even physical contact between vehicles - as well as night driving and pyrotechnics, in a bid to replicate real-life dangerous scenarios that the drivers might have to face.
Telling the i7 Protection apart from a non-armoured BMW 7 Series
At a glance, it’s impossible to know that you’re looking at an armoured version of the BMW i7. That’s very much the point, as most people that require such protection don’t like to draw too much attention to themselves. Of course, the i7 Protection can be fitted with flashing blue lights if required by a government agency as well.
Private buyers, however, can customise the i7 Protection just as they might a non-armoured 7 Series, with the full array of paint colours, even a two-tone finish. Apparently, this was tricky to enable in the factory, not least because the weight of the car’s body posed a challenge for the equipment in the paint shop. The standard BMW i7 is about 2,700kg, but with armour plating and special glass, the Protection version is over 4,300kg.
This car would have weighed considerably more again if it wasn’t produced as an armoured vehicle from the outset. BMW doesn’t just take a regular i7 off the production line and armour it. Instead, it builds a bespoke body using what it calls a “Protection Core” in place of the regular model’s Carbon Core. The Protection version uses armoured steel in the body, reducing the amount of external armour required. Not only does this help keep weight down, but it also means less compromise in terms of packaging, so the i7 Protection’s interior is almost as spacious as the non-armoured version’s, and the door openings are virtually the same.
Unless you see the thickness of the glass with the doors open, you’ll be hard-pushed to spot an i7 Protection. The eagle-eyed will note it has extra body-coloured pieces in the wheelarches. This is to disguise the raised ride height, which is necessary to accommodate protection under the battery pack between the wheels. Those wheels are unique to the Protection model as well, as they are specific to the Michelin Pax tyres, capable of supporting the weight of the car even if they’re deflated. BMW offers two different wheel styles, designed to mimic the style of those in the regular 7 Series.
A look inside the BMW i7 Protection
Thanks to the armour and thick glass (this is best measured in inches, not millimetres), the doors weigh about 200kg each, which explains the use of electrical assistance to open and close them. Even so, they feel extremely heavy to operate. This feature can be accessed through a newly integrated menu within the existing infotainment system, which includes an option to remove the doors of the vehicle in case of an emergency evacuation. And when I say remove, I mean using pyrotechnics to literally blow them off their hinges.
The interior is equipped with a fresh air system, which is self-contained to ensure that the occupants do not have to breathe external air in an emergency. Additionally, there is an intercom system that allows communication with individuals outside the vehicle without the security risk of opening a window.
Aside from additions to the infotainment system, and a warning not to trap a limb in the closing doors, the 7 Series Protection feels little different to any other 7 Series when you’re sat in the comfortable leather-lined rear seats.
Behind the wheel of the BMW i7 Protection
The first thing you notice about driving the i7 Protection, even at higher speeds, is that you’re utterly isolated from the outside world. The standard 7 Series and i7 are exceptionally good at this, but the Protection vehicle takes it to another level because of the thickness of its glass. There is zero wind noise and the special tyres don’t generate too much unwanted sound, either.
Despite the car’s excessive weight, it steps off the line quite smartly thanks to the max-instant-torque characteristic of its electric motors, and it builds speed smoothly from there. The weight can be felt during cornering and quick changes of direction, though the i7 handles remarkably well, considering, even if it does lean, dip and dive a little more than the regular electric 7 Series. Under braking it feels heavy too, but we’re told it’s particularly good at feeding energy back into the battery using brake energy regeneration because of the mass that needs to be slowed.
On the official WLTP cycle, the i7 Protection can in theory do 380 kilometres to a charge - versus up to 625km for the i7 xDrive60 - but that figure is seemingly unimportant to the end user as they wouldn’t usually use a car for such distances, preferring to travel by helicopter until closer to their destination...
How much is the BMW i7 Protection in Ireland?
It isn’t just a little bit more expensive than a regular i7, it’s considerably more expensive. Like way more than double the price. We’re being vague because BMW won’t divulge exact pricing. It did let slip that the X5 Protection - which is ‘only’ at the VR6 level of protection - is more than double the price of the car it’s based on. The BMW i7 Protection is made to VR9 level.
VR in this context stands for “Vehicle Resistance”, indicating that the entire vehicle has been tested and certified, not just its individual materials. That’s according to VPAM (Vereinigung der Prüfstellen für angriffshemmende Materialien), the organisation that sets the standards for attack-resistant materials. Armoured vehicles are classified into different protection levels based on the types of projectiles they can withstand.
VR9 provides protection against high-velocity assault rifle fire and even grenades, while VR10 - the highest level before a vehicle is classified for military use - features ballistic steel to withstand armour-piercing rounds. The electric i7 Protection is available exclusively in VR9 specification, as its multi-layer glass and armour already push its weight beyond four tonnes. If you need a VR10 car then you need to stick with a petrol-powered BMW 7 Series.
Interested buyers usually contact BMW locally, but all are vetted by BMW in Munich for approval. And virtually all used examples go back to BMW for use in training. You’re unlikely to find a second-hand car from BMW Protection in the classifieds.
Ask us anything about the BMW i7 Protection
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