\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/979dca4e985cdb4877326c7fec753810da5370a4210c624858bdf777bdc5877b?s=32&d=mm&r=g\")
<\/p>\n\n One armored BMW stops bullets, the other stops explosives, and both hide their protection in plain sight <\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/author\/bradcarscoops-com\/
\n
by Brad Anderson<\/a><\/p>\n 2 hours ago<\/p>\n VIP guests recently had the chance to test out BMW<\/a>\u2018s armored vehicles.<\/p>\n BMW sells armored versions of the X5 SUV and the 7-Series sedan.<\/p>\n Drivers were able to compare the armored models to standard BMWs.<\/p>\n Ask most people who builds the world\u2019s finest armored cars<\/a> and they\u2019ll point you toward third-party specialists. BMW has spent more than four decades proving that answer incomplete, building its own. This is a niche within a niche, and the German brand spares no expense making sure its armored vehicles can do the job when it counts.<\/p>\n BMW<\/a> currently offers strengthened versions of the 7-Series and the X5, and last month, it invited 67 clients from eight European countries to put these vehicles through their paces. While we\u2019re a little disappointed that we didn\u2019t get an invitation, it seems these participants were exclusively from the private sector and were actually looking to buy an armored BMW or a fleet of them.<\/p>\n Read: BMW\u2019s New X5 Protection VR6 Is A Subtle Yet Effective Armored Beast<\/a><\/p>\n It seems the automaker was particularly keen to demonstrate to attendees just how well its armored 7-Series<\/a> and X5s perform, despite them weighing significantly more than the standard cars they\u2019re based on. To put this to the test, they were driven alongside regular 740d and 750e models, as well as the X5 50e, X5 40d, and X5 M.<\/p>\n A Bimmer, But Different<\/p>\n Participants were also offered the chance to see how the models handle emergency braking in a corner, while dedicated off-road areas were used to test the limits of the X5<\/a>. The event was held at BMW\u2019s development center in Sokolov and included trained instructors from Germany and the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n BMW launched its current 7-Series and X5 Protection models back in 2023. The X5 offers VR6 ballistic protection, while the 7-Series<\/a> achieves a higher VR9 rating, allowing it to deal with sustained attacks from firearms and explosives. It\u2019s equipped with BMW\u2019s mild-hybrid 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 523 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, although it is also available in i7 guise, based on the M70 xDrive model.<\/p>\n ![\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/P90644159_highRes_bmw-protection-drivi-copy-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark_en.png\"){kind=icon}
\n <\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/arrow.png\"){kind=icon}
\n <\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781436810_402_979dca4e985cdb4877326c7fec753810da5370a4210c624858bdf777bdc5877b.png\")
<\/p>\n