These BMW 7 Series And i7 Saloons Would Be The Ideal Chauffeur Cars For High-risk People

The concept of armoured vehicles isn’t a novel one and has been around for ages, protecting important national personalities that are at a high risk of an attack. And the new BMW 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection saloons are exactly that with a pinch of performance and opulence. 

Here are the top 5 facts that make these armoured Bimmers so special:

Strong Inside-out

To begin with, both the luxury saloons have been classified as offering class VR9 protection, which safeguards the occupants against the ballistic and blast attacks. That’s down to their bolstered structures and reinforced panels.

The glass windows, in fact, are VPAM 10 classified – the highest level of protection for civilian protected vehicles. In addition to that, the bolstered structure of both the i7 and 7 Series can be upgraded to offer VPAM 10 protection as an option.

Beasts In Disguise

Given that you’ve got a target on your back, you probably don’t want your car to flash its protection systems and armoured body. Thankfully, the BMW i7 Protection and 7 Series Protection models will look like their standard saloon variants to most. Only people with a knack for attention to detail, or rather BMW fanboys, will notice that the saloons are equipped with 20-inch wheels wrapped around in Michelin-sourced 255-740 R510 tyres. Run flat rings are integrated, allowing for an uninterrupted journey at speeds of up to around 80kmph. 

Apt Performance

Having an armoured vehicle which can’t help you escape from an ambush is as good as having no protection in the first place. But thanks to the potent powertrains of both the 7 Series and i7, dropping the bad guys won’t be an issue, unless they’ve got supercars chasing after you.

The ICE-powered 7 Series protection saloon makes use of the 4.4-litre V8 unit which produces 530PS and 750Nm of output. That is good enough for a 6.6 seconds time for a 0-100kmph sprint. The top speed is 209 kmph.

The i7 Protection saloon, which is actually the first armoured electric vehicle in its segment, makes use of its two electric motor powertrains, which combine together to belt out 544PS and 745Nm. This combination takes 9 seconds to reach 100kmph from a standstill, while top speed is capped at 159kmph. Both the saloons are driven using all four wheels. 

Apart from their already potent powertrains, work has been done to tweak the chassis, which now has to deal with the additional load that comes with bolstered safety. It has been modified and tuned for maximum rear passenger comfort, while being equally stable and poised around corners. 

Uncompromised opulence

The 7 Series represents the zenith of the BMW lineup, and the same is apparent in the list of features on offer, which seems to be never ending. Even after the safety upgrades, it retains all the niceties like the dual curved displays, the premium Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround sound system, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated seats and even heated windscreens for optimum visibility at all times. There are also a bunch of driver assistance systems, but they are only visual aids, and won’t actually interfere like some of the ADAS technologies. 

Custom protection plan

They say knowing your enemies is crucial, and it is even more so in this case, as you can opt for a wide range of optional protection equipment. These tailored safety features include fresh-air supply system, a fire extinguishing system, flashing lights, and radio transceivers and flag poles for use when the car is on official duty. All of these can be installed as per your safety requirements.

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Both the BMW i7 Protection and 7 Series Protection saloons will be built at the carmaker’s factory in Germany and are set to make their debuts at the IAA Mobility 2023 international motor show in Munich. The deliveries will begin in December 2023. No price details yet, but expect a hefty upgrade over the standard prices, which are Rs 1.95 crore and Rs 1.7 crore (all prices ex-showroom) for the i7 and 7 Series, respectively.