BMW G70 i7, 7 Series Protection – with up to VPAM 10 classification; highest for civilian protection vehicles
The flagship G70-generation BMW 7 Series and i7 model range is now joined by equivalent personnel protection variants, the 7 Series Protection and the all-electric i7 Protection sedans.
According to BMW, the 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection have been classified to offer class-VR9 protection, and their certification is based on the third edition of the guidelines for bullet resistant vehicles (BRV 2009) in terms of ballistic resistance, and the guidelines for explosive resistance vehicles (ERV 2010) and PAS 300 for blast resistance.
Additionally, the glass on the Protection variants meet the criteria for VPAM 10 classification, which represents the highest level of protection for civilian protection vehicles, says BMW. Body armour for the 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection can optionally be upgraded to offer VPAM 10-level resistance.
The protective qualities of the 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection begin from a new BMW Protection Core, which is the supporting structure that is made from armour steel for the first time.
Armouring for the roof and underbody has been designed to offer protection against explosives in particular, and it will shield its occupants from drone attacks with explosives as well as from hand grenade fragments. For the combustion-engined 7 Series Protection, the fuel tank is self-sealing to automatically close breaches by bullets to prevent loss of fuel.
Using the structural protection concept as with the BMW Protection Core offers advantages over retrofitting armour to a finished vehicle at a later time, such as a largely similar exterior look and feel to a 7 Series M Sport to be discreet for persons requiring the protection of an armoured vehicle. The integrated concept also offers similar levels or space and comfort to that of a conventional 7 Series, says BMW.
Protection against projectiles and explosives come with the added cost of weight, among others, and the i7 Protection gets the dual-motor powertrain that outputs 544 PS and 745 Nm driving all four wheels, as in the conventional i7 xDrive60 M Sport. Unlike that car’s 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds and electronically capped top speed of 240 km/h, the i7 Protection does the century sprint in nine seconds and reaches a top speed of 158 km/h.
Similarly the combustion-engined 7 Series Protection draws from the regular line-up’s inventory, using the 4.4 litre biturbo petrol V8 that outputs 530 PS and 750 Nm with 48-volt mild hybrid electrification and xDrive all-wheel-drive. This propels the 7 Series Protection from 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 208 km/h.
Chassis specifications include Integral Active Steering with rear wheel steer as standard on the 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection, while rolling stock is a set of Michelin PAX tyres measuring 255-740 R510 and mounted on 20-inch light alloy wheels. These tyres include a run-flat ring which enables the car to carry on at up to 80 km/h in the event of a total loss of tyre pressure.
Driver assistance systems feature on both Protection variants, and is focused on supporting professional chauffeurs with information and warnings, though without actively intervening to control the vehicle – handy, as one probably wouldn’t worry about lane markings when dodging armed threats.
Inftotainment on the 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection operates on BMW Operating System 8.5, with special functions for occupant protection contrlled via the iDrive interface. An intercom is standard-fit, enabling communication with persons outside the vehicle without opening doors or windows.
Manufacture of the G70-generation BMW 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection takes place at BMW’s Dingolfing plant, where an “elaborate craft manufacturing process” is undertaken. The armoured models will make their public debut at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, and customer deliveries will begin in December this year.
2023 BMW 7 Series Protection
2023 BMW i7 Protection
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