BMW recently invited 67 VIP guests from 8 European countries to its development center in Sokolov, Czech Republic. These prospective clients are interested in purchasing armored BMWs, or even an entire fleet. The purpose of the event was to allow these guests to directly compare the performance of armored 7 series and X5 models against their standard counterparts, including the 740d, 750e, X5 50e, X5 40d, and X5 M.

The event, which included experts from Germany and the Czech Republic, featured rigorous test drives designed to showcase the vehicles' resilience and dynamic performance. Guests participated in high-speed emergency braking tests during cornering. The program also included navigating rugged off-road terrain, with vehicles descending steep slopes and driving zig-zag courses on unpaved surfaces.

The event took place at BMW's center in the Czech Republic. *Photo: BMW*

Vehicles were also tested on off-road terrain.

Clients could directly compare armored and standard versions.

The X5 offers VR6 bullet resistance, while the 7 series achieves a higher VR9 rating.

Special features include auxiliary lights, radio transceivers, fire extinguishers, Michelin PAX run-flat tires, and a fresh air supply system.

BMW launched the current 7 series and X5 Protection models in 2023. The X5 offers VR6 bullet resistance, while the 7 series achieves a superior VR9 rating, enabling it to withstand sustained attacks from firearms and explosives.

During the event, BMW announced that the refreshed 2027 7 series will introduce an all-electric armored variant, the i7 Protection, alongside the traditional V8 engine version.

Protection models are custom-built to order rather than configurable through the standard online tool. They can be equipped with specialized features such as: auxiliary lights, radio transceivers, fire extinguishers, Michelin PAX run-flat tires, and a fresh air supply system. The i7 Protection has a substantial weight of up to 4,900 kg, significantly heavier than the standard version's range of 2,556-2,965 kg.

My Anh (according to Carscoops, BMWblog)