BMW has reportedly received one in every of Germany’s most essential authorities contracts. In line with Der Spiegel, the Federal Felony Police Workplace (BKA) has chosen the BMW 7 Collection Safety as its new armored state car, beating out bids from Mercedes-Benz and Audi. The BKA’s safety group is chargeable for defending the nation’s high officers, together with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. For many years, that responsibility was often dealt with by Mercedes S-Class Guard fashions, so BMW’s win marks a major shift.
Constructed for the Job
BMW’s 7 Collection Safety (inner code G73) isn’t only a modified model of the usual luxurious sedan. It’s constructed from the bottom up as an armored automotive. The physique shell makes use of what BMW calls a “Safety Core” — a self-supporting construction manufactured from high-strength metal that’s built-in straight into the chassis and roof body. That design gives full 360-degree safety with out the compromises of aftermarket conversions.
The glass and panels can face up to high-caliber rounds, whereas the underbody is bolstered to guard towards small explosives. In its highest configuration, the automotive meets VPAM 10 requirements — among the many hardest civilian safety scores — and may resist fireplace from rifles just like the 7.62 × 54 mm R, ammunition generally utilized in Russian sniper rifles and machine weapons.
Energy and Weight
Whereas BMW additionally provides an all-electric i7 Safety, Der Spiegel reviews that the BKA has opted for the combustion-powered mannequin — the 760i Safety. It makes use of a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 paired with mild-hybrid know-how and produces round 544 horsepower. The identical engine isn’t even out there in common German-market 7 Collection sedans, making it a particular software for presidency use.
The automotive weighs effectively over 4,000 kilograms (8,800 lbs), but it stays able to critical velocity when wanted. BMW’s engineering group adjusted the suspension, brakes, and stability programs particularly for the additional mass, guaranteeing predictable dealing with in high-pressure conditions.
Specifically tuned brakes, chassis elements, and Michelin PAX run-flat tires (20-inch alloys) enable the G73 to maintain transferring at as much as 80 km/h even with no air within the tires. A self-sealing gas tank reduces fireplace threat after an assault. The automotive can be engineered to face up to sure explosives, together with drone-dropped units and hand grenades.
Inside, consumers can specify the identical consolation options discovered within the common G70 7 Collection—Government Lounge seating, therapeutic massage capabilities, privateness blinds, a cool field, and high-end audio. The BMW Curved Show and a devoted Safety Command Contact System combine safety capabilities into the cabin. Even the iDrive infotainment system has been designed particularly for this BMW 7 Collection Safety. A particular menu provides the motive force and passengers entry to bespoke options, like controlling intercom system and lights, communication with the surface world, and others.
A Win for BMW
For BMW, the deal is greater than a symbolic victory. It locations Munich on the heart of Germany’s state transport operations, a task historically dominated by Mercedes. The 7 Collection Safety is constructed alongside commonplace fashions at BMW’s Dingolfing plant, which additionally produces the electrical i7 and 5 Collection.
[Source: Der Spiegel via BimmerToday]
